diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/app/translator/QueryTranslator.java b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/app/translator/QueryTranslator.java
index 0a88832..64d0fd7 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/app/translator/QueryTranslator.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-app/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/app/translator/QueryTranslator.java
@@ -2664,6 +2664,10 @@
             if (synonym != null) {
                 if (css.getIfNotExists()) {
                     MetadataManager.INSTANCE.commitTransaction(mdTxnCtx);
+                    if (warningCollector.shouldWarn()) {
+                        warningCollector
+                                .warn(Warning.of(css.getSourceLocation(), ErrorCode.SYNONYM_EXISTS, synonymName));
+                    }
                     return;
                 }
                 throw new CompilationException(ErrorCode.SYNONYM_EXISTS, css.getSourceLocation(), synonymName);