diff --git a/packages/core-components/.eslintrc.js b/packages/core-components/.eslintrc.js
index 505ea657a2..f5ec47b36a 100644
--- a/packages/core-components/.eslintrc.js
+++ b/packages/core-components/.eslintrc.js
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ module.exports = require('@backstage/cli/config/eslint-factory')(__dirname, {
     '@backstage/no-top-level-material-ui-4-imports': 'error',
   },
   restrictedImports: [
+    {
+      name: '@backstage/core-components',
+      message: "To avoid circular dependencies, use relative paths to import '@backstage/core-components' from its subdirectories."
+    },
     {
       name: '@material-ui/core',
       message: "Please import '@material-ui/core/...' instead.",