diff --git a/dclient/cli.py b/dclient/cli.py
index 3adfebc..48f249b 100644
--- a/dclient/cli.py
+++ b/dclient/cli.py
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@ def _resolve_instance(instance, config_file):
     if env_url:
         return env_url.rstrip("/")
     raise click.ClickException(
-        "No instance specified. Use -i, set a default instance, or set DATASETTE_URL."
+        "No instance specified. Use -i <url-or-alias>, or configure a default:\n\n"
+        "    dclient alias add <name> <url>\n"
+        "    dclient alias default <name>\n\n"
+        "Or set the DATASETTE_URL environment variable."
     )
 
 
@@ -81,7 +84,9 @@ def _resolve_database(database, instance_alias, config_file):
     if env_db:
         return env_db
     raise click.ClickException(
-        "No database specified. Use -d, set a default database, or set DATASETTE_DATABASE."
+        "No database specified. Use -d <name>, or configure a default:\n\n"
+        "    dclient alias default-db <alias> <database>\n\n"
+        "Or set the DATASETTE_DATABASE environment variable."
     )
 
 
@@ -642,6 +647,31 @@ def default_query(sql, instance, database, token, verbose):
     click.echo(json.dumps(response.json()["rows"], indent=2))
 
 
+@cli.command()
+@click.option("--json", "_json", is_flag=True, help="Output raw JSON")
+def instances(_json):
+    """
+    List known instances from the config
+
+    Example usage:
+
+    \b
+        dclient instances
+        dclient instances --json
+    """
+    config_file = get_config_dir() / "config.json"
+    config = _load_config(config_file)
+    inst_map = config.get("instances", {})
+    default = config.get("default_instance")
+    if _json:
+        click.echo(json.dumps(config, indent=2))
+    else:
+        for name, inst in inst_map.items():
+            marker = "* " if name == default else "  "
+            db_info = f" (db: {inst['default_database']})" if inst.get("default_database") else ""
+            click.echo(f"{marker}{name} = {inst['url']}{db_info}")
+
+
 # -- alias command group --
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_commands_v2.py b/tests/test_commands_v2.py
index 2077a45..afc4e7c 100644
--- a/tests/test_commands_v2.py
+++ b/tests/test_commands_v2.py
@@ -536,3 +536,57 @@ def test_get_command(httpx_mock, mocker, tmpdir):
     assert data == {"hello": "world"}
     request = httpx_mock.get_request()
     assert request.url.path == "/-/plugins.json"
+
+
+# -- instances command --
+
+
+def test_instances_plain(mocker, tmpdir):
+    config_dir = pathlib.Path(tmpdir)
+    mocker.patch("dclient.cli.get_config_dir", return_value=config_dir)
+    (config_dir / "config.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps(
+            {
+                "default_instance": "prod",
+                "instances": {
+                    "prod": {"url": "https://prod.example.com", "default_database": "main"},
+                    "staging": {"url": "https://staging.example.com", "default_database": None},
+                },
+            }
+        )
+    )
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(cli, ["instances"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    assert "* prod = https://prod.example.com (db: main)" in result.output
+    assert "  staging = https://staging.example.com" in result.output
+
+
+def test_instances_json(mocker, tmpdir):
+    config_dir = pathlib.Path(tmpdir)
+    mocker.patch("dclient.cli.get_config_dir", return_value=config_dir)
+    (config_dir / "config.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps(
+            {
+                "default_instance": "prod",
+                "instances": {
+                    "prod": {"url": "https://prod.example.com", "default_database": "main"},
+                },
+            }
+        )
+    )
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(cli, ["instances", "--json"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    data = json.loads(result.output)
+    assert "prod" in data["instances"]
+    assert data["default_instance"] == "prod"
+
+
+def test_instances_empty(mocker, tmpdir):
+    config_dir = pathlib.Path(tmpdir)
+    mocker.patch("dclient.cli.get_config_dir", return_value=config_dir)
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(cli, ["instances"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    assert result.output.strip() == ""