diff --git a/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/lib.rs b/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/lib.rs
index 0258f8fd2d9..f05a441ff81 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/lib.rs
@@ -259,6 +259,8 @@ enum ImplTraitContext {
     },
     /// Impl trait in type aliases.
     TypeAliasesOpaqueTy,
+    /// `impl Trait` is unstably accepted in this position.
+    FeatureGated(ImplTraitPosition, Symbol),
     /// `impl Trait` is not accepted in this position.
     Disallowed(ImplTraitPosition),
 }
@@ -1372,17 +1374,15 @@ impl<'a, 'hir> LoweringContext<'a, 'hir> {
                         }
                         path
                     }
-                    ImplTraitContext::Disallowed(
-                        position @ (ImplTraitPosition::TraitReturn | ImplTraitPosition::ImplReturn),
-                    ) => {
+                    ImplTraitContext::FeatureGated(position, feature) => {
                         self.tcx
                             .sess
                             .create_feature_err(
                                 MisplacedImplTrait {
                                     span: t.span,
-                                    position: DiagnosticArgFromDisplay(&position),
+                                    position: DiagnosticArgFromDisplay(position),
                                 },
-                                sym::return_position_impl_trait_in_trait,
+                                *feature,
                             )
                             .emit();
                         hir::TyKind::Err
@@ -1390,7 +1390,7 @@ impl<'a, 'hir> LoweringContext<'a, 'hir> {
                     ImplTraitContext::Disallowed(position) => {
                         self.tcx.sess.emit_err(MisplacedImplTrait {
                             span: t.span,
-                            position: DiagnosticArgFromDisplay(&position),
+                            position: DiagnosticArgFromDisplay(position),
                         });
                         hir::TyKind::Err
                     }
@@ -1739,14 +1739,14 @@ impl<'a, 'hir> LoweringContext<'a, 'hir> {
         } else {
             match &decl.output {
                 FnRetTy::Ty(ty) => {
-                    let mut context = if kind.return_impl_trait_allowed(self.tcx) {
+                    let context = if kind.return_impl_trait_allowed(self.tcx) {
                         let fn_def_id = self.local_def_id(fn_node_id);
                         ImplTraitContext::ReturnPositionOpaqueTy {
                             origin: hir::OpaqueTyOrigin::FnReturn(fn_def_id),
                             in_trait: matches!(kind, FnDeclKind::Trait),
                         }
                     } else {
-                        ImplTraitContext::Disallowed(match kind {
+                        let position = match kind {
                             FnDeclKind::Fn | FnDeclKind::Inherent => {
                                 unreachable!("fn should allow in-band lifetimes")
                             }
@@ -1755,9 +1755,16 @@ impl<'a, 'hir> LoweringContext<'a, 'hir> {
                             FnDeclKind::Pointer => ImplTraitPosition::PointerReturn,
                             FnDeclKind::Trait => ImplTraitPosition::TraitReturn,
                             FnDeclKind::Impl => ImplTraitPosition::ImplReturn,
-                        })
+                        };
+                        match kind {
+                            FnDeclKind::Trait | FnDeclKind::Impl => ImplTraitContext::FeatureGated(
+                                position,
+                                sym::return_position_impl_trait_in_trait,
+                            ),
+                            _ => ImplTraitContext::Disallowed(position),
+                        }
                     };
-                    hir::FnRetTy::Return(self.lower_ty(ty, &mut context))
+                    hir::FnRetTy::Return(self.lower_ty(ty, &context))
                 }
                 FnRetTy::Default(span) => hir::FnRetTy::DefaultReturn(self.lower_span(*span)),
             }
@@ -1938,7 +1945,10 @@ impl<'a, 'hir> LoweringContext<'a, 'hir> {
                     output,
                     span,
                     if in_trait && !this.tcx.features().return_position_impl_trait_in_trait {
-                        ImplTraitContext::Disallowed(ImplTraitPosition::TraitReturn)
+                        ImplTraitContext::FeatureGated(
+                            ImplTraitPosition::TraitReturn,
+                            sym::return_position_impl_trait_in_trait,
+                        )
                     } else {
                         ImplTraitContext::ReturnPositionOpaqueTy {
                             origin: hir::OpaqueTyOrigin::FnReturn(fn_def_id),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/path.rs b/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/path.rs
index 8d23c26e603..592fc5aa645 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/path.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_ast_lowering/src/path.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use rustc_ast::{self as ast, *};
 use rustc_hir as hir;
 use rustc_hir::def::{DefKind, PartialRes, Res};
 use rustc_hir::GenericArg;
-use rustc_span::symbol::{kw, Ident};
+use rustc_span::symbol::{kw, sym, Ident};
 use rustc_span::{BytePos, Span, DUMMY_SP};
 
 use smallvec::{smallvec, SmallVec};
@@ -352,11 +352,18 @@ impl<'a, 'hir> LoweringContext<'a, 'hir> {
             // fn f(_: impl Fn() -> impl Debug) -> impl Fn() -> impl Debug
             // //      disallowed --^^^^^^^^^^        allowed --^^^^^^^^^^
             // ```
-            FnRetTy::Ty(ty)
-                if matches!(itctx, ImplTraitContext::ReturnPositionOpaqueTy { .. })
-                    && self.tcx.features().impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return =>
-            {
-                self.lower_ty(&ty, itctx)
+            FnRetTy::Ty(ty) if matches!(itctx, ImplTraitContext::ReturnPositionOpaqueTy { .. }) => {
+                if self.tcx.features().impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return {
+                    self.lower_ty(&ty, itctx)
+                } else {
+                    self.lower_ty(
+                        &ty,
+                        &ImplTraitContext::FeatureGated(
+                            ImplTraitPosition::FnTraitReturn,
+                            sym::impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return,
+                        ),
+                    )
+                }
             }
             FnRetTy::Ty(ty) => {
                 self.lower_ty(&ty, &ImplTraitContext::Disallowed(ImplTraitPosition::FnTraitReturn))
diff --git a/src/test/ui/feature-gates/feature-gate-impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return.stderr b/src/test/ui/feature-gates/feature-gate-impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return.stderr
index c485bc5c3ab..760dcb615c8 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/feature-gates/feature-gate-impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return.stderr
+++ b/src/test/ui/feature-gates/feature-gate-impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return.stderr
@@ -3,12 +3,18 @@ error[E0562]: `impl Trait` only allowed in function and inherent method return t
    |
 LL | fn f() -> impl Fn() -> impl Sized { || () }
    |                        ^^^^^^^^^^
+   |
+   = note: see issue #99697 <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/99697> for more information
+   = help: add `#![feature(impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return)]` to the crate attributes to enable
 
 error[E0562]: `impl Trait` only allowed in function and inherent method return types, not in `Fn` trait return
   --> $DIR/feature-gate-impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return.rs:3:32
    |
 LL | fn g() -> &'static dyn Fn() -> impl Sized { &|| () }
    |                                ^^^^^^^^^^
+   |
+   = note: see issue #99697 <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/99697> for more information
+   = help: add `#![feature(impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return)]` to the crate attributes to enable
 
 error: aborting due to 2 previous errors