diff -u b/core/modules/config/src/Form/ConfigSync.php b/core/modules/config/src/Form/ConfigSync.php
--- b/core/modules/config/src/Form/ConfigSync.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/src/Form/ConfigSync.php
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
           '#items' => $change_list,
         );
         $change_list_html = drupal_render($change_list_render);
-        drupal_set_message($this->t('The following changes have been made to your active configuration since the last import, and may be lost on the next import: !changes', array('!changes' => $change_list_html)), 'warning');
+        drupal_set_message($this->t('The following items in your active configuration have changes since the last import that may be lost on the next import. !changes', array('!changes' => $change_list_html)), 'warning');
       }
     }
 
diff -u b/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigExportImportUITest.php b/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigExportImportUITest.php
--- b/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigExportImportUITest.php
+++ b/core/modules/config/src/Tests/ConfigExportImportUITest.php
@@ -187,13 +187,13 @@
       ->save();
     $this->drupalGet('admin/config/development/configuration');
     $this->assertText(t('Warning message'));
-    $this->assertText('The following changes have been made to your active configuration since the last import, and may be lost on the next import: system.site');
+    $this->assertText('The following items in your active configuration have changes since the last import that may be lost on the next import. system.site');
     // Remove everything from staging. The warning about differences between the
     // active and snapshot should no longer exist.
     \Drupal::service('config.storage.staging')->deleteAll();
     $this->drupalGet('admin/config/development/configuration');
     $this->assertNoText(t('Warning message'));
-    $this->assertNoText('The following changes have been made to your active configuration since the last import, and may be lost on the next import: system.site');
+    $this->assertNoText('The following items in your active configuration have changes since the last import that may be lost on the next import. system.site');
     $this->assertText(t('There are no configuration changes to import.'));
     // Write a file to staging. The warning about differences between the
     // active and snapshot should now exist.
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
     $staging->write('system.site', $data);
     $this->drupalGet('admin/config/development/configuration');
     $this->assertText(t('Warning message'));
-    $this->assertText('The following changes have been made to your active configuration since the last import, and may be lost on the next import: system.site');
+    $this->assertText('The following items in your active configuration have changes since the last import that may be lost on the next import. system.site');
   }
 
   /**