diff --git a/R/build-search-docs.R b/R/build-search-docs.R
index 936d5c9b4..462f3192f 100644
--- a/R/build-search-docs.R
+++ b/R/build-search-docs.R
@@ -75,10 +75,15 @@ url_node <- function(url) {
 #' search:
 #'   exclude: ['news/index.html']
 #' ```
-#' @section Local testing:
-#' Search won't work if you simply use pkgdown preview of the static files.
+#' @section Debugging and local testing:
+#'
+#' Locally (as opposed to on GitHub Pages or Netlify for instance),
+#' search won't work if you simply use pkgdown preview of the static files.
 #' You can use `servr::httw("docs")` instead.
 #'
+#' If search is not working, run `pkgdown::pkgdown_sitrep()` to eliminate
+#' common issues such as the absence of URL in the pkgdown configuration file
+#' of your package.
 #'
 #' @inheritParams build_articles
 #' @export
diff --git a/man/build_search.Rd b/man/build_search.Rd
index 05d60891e..5836206af 100644
--- a/man/build_search.Rd
+++ b/man/build_search.Rd
@@ -23,9 +23,15 @@ Below we exclude the changelog from the search index.\if{html}{\out{<div class="
 }\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
 }
 
-\section{Local testing}{
+\section{Debugging and local testing}{
 
-Search won't work if you simply use pkgdown preview of the static files.
+
+Locally (as opposed to on GitHub Pages or Netlify for instance),
+search won't work if you simply use pkgdown preview of the static files.
 You can use \code{servr::httw("docs")} instead.
+
+If search is not working, run \code{pkgdown::pkgdown_sitrep()} to eliminate
+common issues such as the absence of URL in the pkgdown configuration file
+of your package.
 }