diff --git a/youtube_dl/utils.py b/youtube_dl/utils.py
index 083446342..e1b05b307 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/utils.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/utils.py
@@ -2371,15 +2371,24 @@ def make_HTTPS_handler(params, **kwargs):
         return YoutubeDLHTTPSHandler(params, context=context, **kwargs)
 
 
-def bug_reports_message():
+def bug_reports_message(before=';'):
     if ytdl_is_updateable():
         update_cmd = 'type  youtube-dl -U  to update'
     else:
-        update_cmd = 'see  https://yt-dl.org/update  on how to update'
-    msg = '; please report this issue on https://yt-dl.org/bug .'
-    msg += ' Make sure you are using the latest version; %s.' % update_cmd
-    msg += ' Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose flag and include its complete output.'
-    return msg
+        update_cmd = 'see  https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl/#user-content-installation  on how to update'
+
+    msg = (
+        'please report this issue on https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl/issues ,'
+        ' using the appropriate issue template.'
+        ' Make sure you are using the latest version; %s.'
+        ' Be sure to call youtube-dl with the --verbose option and include the complete output.'
+    ) % update_cmd
+
+    before = (before or '').rstrip()
+    if not before or before.endswith(('.', '!', '?')):
+        msg = msg[0].title() + msg[1:]
+
+    return (before + ' ' if before else '') + msg
 
 
 class YoutubeDLError(Exception):