diff --git a/engines/stark/POTFILES b/engines/stark/POTFILES
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af9c7d566a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engines/stark/POTFILES
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+engines/stark/detection.cpp
+engines/stark/stark.cpp
diff --git a/engines/stark/stark.cpp b/engines/stark/stark.cpp
index 0b634a27524..5651738eab7 100644
--- a/engines/stark/stark.cpp
+++ b/engines/stark/stark.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "engines/stark/gfx/driver.h"
 #include "engines/stark/gfx/framelimiter.h"
 
+#include "audio/mixer.h"
 #include "common/config-manager.h"
 #include "common/debug-channels.h"
 #include "common/events.h"
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@
 #include "common/random.h"
 #include "common/savefile.h"
 #include "common/system.h"
-#include "audio/mixer.h"
+#include "common/translation.h"
+#include "gui/message.h"
 
 namespace Stark {
 
@@ -105,6 +107,8 @@ Common::Error StarkEngine::run() {
 	Gfx::Driver *gfx = Gfx::Driver::create();
 	gfx->init();
 
+	checkRecommendedDatafiles();
+
 	// Setup the public services
 	StarkServices &services = StarkServices::instance();
 	services.gfx = gfx;
@@ -282,6 +286,58 @@ void StarkEngine::addModsToSearchPath() const {
 	}
 }
 
+void StarkEngine::checkRecommendedDatafiles() {
+	ConfMan.registerDefault("warn_about_missing_files", true);
+
+	if (!ConfMan.getBool("warn_about_missing_files")) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	Common::String message = _("You are missing recommended data files:");
+
+	const Common::FSNode gameDataDir(ConfMan.get("path"));
+	Common::FSNode fontsDir = gameDataDir.getChild("fonts");
+	if (!fontsDir.isDirectory()) {
+		fontsDir = gameDataDir.getChild("Fonts"); // FSNode is case sensitive
+	}
+	if (!fontsDir.isDirectory()) {
+		fontsDir = gameDataDir.getChild("FONTS");
+	}
+
+	bool missingFiles = false;
+	if (!fontsDir.isDirectory()) {
+		message += "\n\n";
+		message += _("The 'fonts' folder is required to experience the text style as it was designed. "
+				"The Steam release is known to be missing it. You can get the fonts from the demo version of the game.");
+		missingFiles = true;
+	}
+
+	if (!SearchMan.hasFile("gui.ini")) {
+		message += "\n\n";
+		message += _("'gui.ini' is recommended to get proper font settings for the game localization.");
+		missingFiles = true;
+	}
+
+	if (!SearchMan.hasFile("language.ini")) {
+		message += "\n\n";
+		message += _("'language.ini' is recommended to get localized confirmation dialogs.");
+		missingFiles = true;
+	}
+
+	if (!SearchMan.hasFile("game.exe") && !SearchMan.hasFile("game.dll")) {
+		message += "\n\n";
+		message += _("'game.exe' is recommended to get styled confirmation dialogs.");
+		missingFiles = true;
+	}
+
+	if (missingFiles) {
+		warning("%s", message.c_str());
+
+		GUI::MessageDialog dialog(message);
+		dialog.runModal();
+	}
+}
+
 bool StarkEngine::hasFeature(EngineFeature f) const {
 	return
 		(f == kSupportsLoadingDuringRuntime) ||
diff --git a/engines/stark/stark.h b/engines/stark/stark.h
index da57aac12d6..95fd9c132fa 100644
--- a/engines/stark/stark.h
+++ b/engines/stark/stark.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ private:
 	void processEvents();
 	void onScreenChanged() const;
 	void addModsToSearchPath() const;
+	static void checkRecommendedDatafiles();
 
 	Gfx::FrameLimiter *_frameLimiter;
 	Console *_console;