diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index e0332b1b19..e5c730233d 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -738,6 +738,17 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     _getUnsentMessageError: function(room) {
         const unsentMessages = this._getUnsentMessages(room);
         if (!unsentMessages.length) return "";
+
+        if (
+            unsentMessages.length === 1 &&
+            unsentMessages[0].error &&
+            unsentMessages[0].error.data &&
+            unsentMessages[0].error.data.error &&
+            unsentMessages[0].error.name !== "UnknownDeviceError"
+        ) {
+            return unsentMessages[0].error.data.error;
+        }
+
         for (const event of unsentMessages) {
             if (!event.error || event.error.name !== "UnknownDeviceError") {
                 return _t("Some of your messages have not been sent.");