diff --git a/generator/dawn_json_generator.py b/generator/dawn_json_generator.py
index 23ebc55..d6e2091 100644
--- a/generator/dawn_json_generator.py
+++ b/generator/dawn_json_generator.py
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@
 
         if 'proc' in targets:
             renders.append(
-                FileRender('dawn_proc.c', 'src/dawn/' + prefix + '_proc.c',
+                FileRender('dawn_proc.cpp', 'src/dawn/' + prefix + '_proc.cpp',
                            [RENDER_PARAMS_BASE, params_dawn]))
             renders.append(
                 FileRender('dawn_thread_dispatch_proc.cpp',
diff --git a/generator/templates/dawn_proc.c b/generator/templates/dawn_proc.cpp
similarity index 76%
rename from generator/templates/dawn_proc.c
rename to generator/templates/dawn_proc.cpp
index ee9faec..57c52d9 100644
--- a/generator/templates/dawn_proc.c
+++ b/generator/templates/dawn_proc.cpp
@@ -32,16 +32,33 @@
 // The sanitizer is disabled for calls to procs.* since those functions may be
 // dynamically loaded.
 #include "dawn/common/Compiler.h"
+#include "dawn/common/Log.h"
 
-static {{Prefix}}ProcTable procs;
+// A fake wgpuCreateInstance that prints a warning so folks know that they are using dawn_procs and
+// should either use a different target to link against, or call dawnProcSetProcs.
+WGPUInstance CreateInstanceThatWarns(const WGPUInstanceDescriptor* desc) {
+    dawn::ErrorLog() <<
+        R"(The \"null\" {{metadata.namespace}}CreateInstance from {{prefix}}_proc was called which always returns nullptr. You either need to:
+  - call {{prefix}}ProcSetProcs with a {{Prefix}}ProcTable object retrieved somewhere else, or
+  - (most likely) link against a different target that implements {{metadata.api}} directly, for example {{metadata.api.lower()}}_dawn)";
 
-static {{Prefix}}ProcTable nullProcs;
+    return nullptr;
+}
+
+constexpr {{Prefix}}ProcTable MakeNullProcTable() {
+    {{Prefix}}ProcTable procs = {};
+    procs.createInstance = CreateInstanceThatWarns;
+    return procs;
+}
+
+static {{Prefix}}ProcTable kNullProcs = MakeNullProcTable();
+static {{Prefix}}ProcTable procs = MakeNullProcTable();
 
 void {{prefix}}ProcSetProcs(const {{Prefix}}ProcTable* procs_) {
     if (procs_) {
         procs = *procs_;
     } else {
-        procs = nullProcs;
+        procs = kNullProcs;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/dawn/BUILD.gn b/src/dawn/BUILD.gn
index 4de344d..2e243b5 100644
--- a/src/dawn/BUILD.gn
+++ b/src/dawn/BUILD.gn
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 dawn_json_generator("proc_gen") {
   target = "proc"
   outputs = [
-    "src/dawn/dawn_proc.c",
+    "src/dawn/dawn_proc.cpp",
     "src/dawn/dawn_thread_dispatch_proc.cpp",
   ]
 }
diff --git a/src/dawn/native/CMakeLists.txt b/src/dawn/native/CMakeLists.txt
index 6058500..9a3d8d5 100644
--- a/src/dawn/native/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/dawn/native/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -766,10 +766,16 @@
     RESULT_VARIABLE "WEBGPU_DAWN_NATIVE_PROC_GEN"
 )
 
+# A convenience target that bundles dawn_native and procs calling it directly so that
+# applications link against it and have WebGPU work without jumping through more hoops.
+# Note that this library name is referenced in several places, search for it and things like:
+# "{{.*}}_dawn" when you rename it.
 add_library(webgpu_dawn)
 common_compile_options(webgpu_dawn)
-target_link_libraries(webgpu_dawn PRIVATE dawn_native)
-target_link_libraries(webgpu_dawn PUBLIC dawn_headers)
+target_link_libraries(webgpu_dawn
+    PRIVATE dawn_native
+    PUBLIC dawn_headers
+)
 target_compile_definitions(webgpu_dawn PRIVATE "WGPU_IMPLEMENTATION")
 if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
     target_compile_definitions(webgpu_dawn PRIVATE "WGPU_SHARED_LIBRARY")