diff --git a/tracing-subscriber/src/filter/env/mod.rs b/tracing-subscriber/src/filter/env/mod.rs
index 5365e43209..093413e447 100644
--- a/tracing-subscriber/src/filter/env/mod.rs
+++ b/tracing-subscriber/src/filter/env/mod.rs
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ impl EnvFilter {
             .collect();
 
         if !disabled.is_empty() {
+            // NOTE: this can't use `MakeWriter` because it's not yet available;
+            // there is not yet a subscriber.
             eprintln!("warning: some trace filter directives would enable traces that are disabled statically");
             for directive in disabled {
                 let target = if let Some(target) = &directive.target {