diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/a.yml b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/a.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b4addb99b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/a.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+include:
+  - b.yml
+  - c.yml
+
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/databricks.yml b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/databricks.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6addb7d2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/databricks.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+bundle:
+  name: include_outside_root
+
+include:
+ - a.yml
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/output.txt b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/output.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..720c3a826
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/output.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+Warning: Include section is defined outside root file
+  at include
+  in a.yml:2:3
+
+The include section is defined in a file that is not the root file.
+These values will be ignored because only the includes defined in
+the bundle root file (that is databricks.yml or databricks.yaml)
+are loaded.
+
+Name: include_outside_root
+Target: default
+Workspace:
+  User: [USERNAME]
+  Path: /Workspace/Users/[USERNAME]/.bundle/include_outside_root/default
+
+Found 1 warning
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/script b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/script
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72555b332
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/includes/include_outside_root/script
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+$CLI bundle validate
diff --git a/bundle/config/loader/process_include.go b/bundle/config/loader/process_include.go
index f82f5db1e..4f7dd47ca 100644
--- a/bundle/config/loader/process_include.go
+++ b/bundle/config/loader/process_include.go
@@ -161,6 +161,19 @@ func (m *processInclude) Apply(_ context.Context, b *bundle.Bundle) diag.Diagnos
 		return diags
 	}
 
+	if len(this.Include) > 0 {
+		diags = diags.Append(diag.Diagnostic{
+			Severity: diag.Warning,
+			Summary:  "Include section is defined outside root file",
+			Detail: `The include section is defined in a file that is not the root file.
+These values will be ignored because only the includes defined in
+the bundle root file (that is databricks.yml or databricks.yaml)
+are loaded.`,
+			Locations: this.GetLocations("include"),
+			Paths:     []dyn.Path{dyn.MustPathFromString("include")},
+		})
+	}
+
 	err := b.Config.Merge(this)
 	if err != nil {
 		diags = diags.Extend(diag.FromErr(err))