diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 6646630ec..ea4795865 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Features
   via an optional ``conf.py`` method ``TEMPLATE_ENGINE_FACTORY``.
 * Switch to pyproject.toml
 * Add path handler ``slug_source`` linking to source of post.
+* Better error message in ``nikola serve`` when port is already in use
 
 Bugfixes
 --------
diff --git a/nikola/plugins/command/serve.py b/nikola/plugins/command/serve.py
index 0b2cbac56..65676cef5 100644
--- a/nikola/plugins/command/serve.py
+++ b/nikola/plugins/command/serve.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 """Start test server."""
 import atexit
+import errno
 import os
 import sys
 import re
@@ -144,7 +145,16 @@ def _execute(self, options, args):
                 handler_factory = OurHTTPRequestHandler
             else:
                 handler_factory = _create_RequestHandler_removing_basepath(base_path)
-            self.httpd = OurHTTP((options['address'], options['port']), handler_factory)
+
+            try:
+                self.httpd = OurHTTP((options['address'], options['port']), handler_factory)
+            except OSError as e:
+                if e.errno == errno.EADDRINUSE:
+                    self.logger.error(f"Port address {options['port']} already in use, please use "
+                                      "the `-p <port>` option to select a different one.")
+                    return 3
+                else:
+                    raise
 
             sa = self.httpd.socket.getsockname()
             if ipv6:
diff --git a/tests/helper.py b/tests/helper.py
index 8fbebdb45..2bc995d0b 100644
--- a/tests/helper.py
+++ b/tests/helper.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.template_system = self
         self.invariant = False
         self.debug = True
+        self.show_tracebacks = True
         self.config = {
             "DISABLED_PLUGINS": [],
             "EXTRA_PLUGINS": [],
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_dev_server_serve.py b/tests/integration/test_dev_server_serve.py
index a91362b64..085e11e7f 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_dev_server_serve.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_dev_server_serve.py
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+import logging
+import re
+import socket
+import sys
+from io import StringIO
 from time import sleep
 import requests
 import pytest
@@ -8,11 +13,68 @@
 from .dev_server_test_helper import MyFakeSite, SERVER_ADDRESS, find_unused_port, LOGGER, OUTPUT_FOLDER
 
 
+def test_server_on_used_port(site_and_base_path: tuple[MyFakeSite, str]) -> None:
+    """Check error if port for nikola serve is already being used.
+
+    `nikola serve` uses a default port and if that port is already in use it should print out a nice
+    error message that tells the user what happend and how to fix this.
+
+    To test the case where the port is already in use, we open a socket on the same port that we use
+    for `nikola serve` before starting the server.
+
+    The program should exit with a return code of 3 in this case and print out a message to the user.
+    """
+
+    site, base_path = site_and_base_path
+    site.show_tracebacks = False
+    command_serve = serve.CommandServe()
+    command_serve.set_site(site)
+    command_serve.serve_pidfile = "there is no file with this name we hope"
+    command_serve.logger = logging.getLogger("dev_server_test")
+    catch_log = StringIO()
+    catch_log_handler = logging.StreamHandler(catch_log)
+    logging.getLogger().addHandler(catch_log_handler)
+    try:
+        s = socket.socket()
+        try:
+            ANY_PORT = 0
+            s.bind((SERVER_ADDRESS, ANY_PORT))
+            address, port = s.getsockname()
+            with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=2) as executor:
+                options = {
+                    "address": SERVER_ADDRESS,
+                    "port": port,
+                    "browser": False,
+                    "detach": False,
+                    "ipv6": False,
+                }
+                future_to_run_web_server = executor.submit(lambda: command_serve.execute(options=options))
+                command_serve.shutdown()
+                result = future_to_run_web_server.result()
+                assert 3 == result
+
+                # TODO: check if this works on windows
+                # for now we skip this assert on windows platforms.
+                if not sys.platform == 'win32':
+                    assert re.match(
+                        r"Port address \d+ already in use, "
+                        r"please use the `\-p \<port\>` option to select a different one\.",
+                        catch_log.getvalue()
+                    )
+                assert "OSError" not in catch_log.getvalue()
+        finally:
+            s.close()
+    finally:
+        logging.getLogger().removeHandler(catch_log_handler)
+
+
 def test_serves_root_dir(
     site_and_base_path: tuple[MyFakeSite, str], expected_text: str
 ) -> None:
     site, base_path = site_and_base_path
     command_serve = serve.CommandServe()
+    command_serve.serve_pidfile = "there is no file with this name we hope"
+    command_serve.logger = logging.getLogger("dev_server_test")
     command_serve.set_site(site)
     options = {
         "address": SERVER_ADDRESS,