diff --git a/core/modules/migrate_drupal_ui/src/Form/CredentialForm.php b/core/modules/migrate_drupal_ui/src/Form/CredentialForm.php
index deeebe5..94e0aa1 100644
--- a/core/modules/migrate_drupal_ui/src/Form/CredentialForm.php
+++ b/core/modules/migrate_drupal_ui/src/Form/CredentialForm.php
@@ -245,7 +245,20 @@ public function validateForm(array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
         }
       }
       catch (\Exception $e) {
-        $this->errors[$database['driver'] . '][database'] = $e->getMessage();
+        $msg = [
+          '#markup' => $this->t('Failed to connect to your database server. The server reports the following message: %error', ['%error' => $e->getMessage()]),
+          'children' => [
+            $this->t('Is the database server running?'),
+            [
+              '#markup' => $this->t('Does the database exist, and have you entered the correct database name?'),
+              'children' => [
+                $this->t('Have you entered the correct username and password?'),
+                $this->t('Have you entered the correct database hostname?')
+              ],
+            ],
+          ],
+        ];
+        $this->errors[$database['driver'] . '][database'] = $this->renderer->renderPlain($msg);
       }
     }