diff --git a/netbox/dcim/views.py b/netbox/dcim/views.py
index 79b7936b2..c8474b01d 100644
--- a/netbox/dcim/views.py
+++ b/netbox/dcim/views.py
@@ -2104,7 +2104,8 @@ class DeviceRenderConfigView(generic.ObjectView):
         # If a direct export has been requested, return the rendered template content as a
         # downloadable file.
         if request.GET.get('export'):
-            response = HttpResponse(context['rendered_config'], content_type='text')
+            content = context['rendered_config'] or context['error_message']
+            response = HttpResponse(content, content_type='text')
             filename = f"{instance.name or 'config'}.txt"
             response['Content-Disposition'] = f'attachment; filename="{filename}"'
             return response
@@ -2122,18 +2123,18 @@ class DeviceRenderConfigView(generic.ObjectView):
 
         # Render the config template
         rendered_config = None
+        error_message = None
         if config_template := instance.get_config_template():
             try:
                 rendered_config = config_template.render(context=context_data)
             except TemplateError as e:
-                msg = _("An error occurred while rendering the template: {error}").format(error=e)
-                messages.error(request, msg)
-                rendered_config = msg
+                error_message = _("An error occurred while rendering the template: {error}").format(error=e)
 
         return {
             'config_template': config_template,
             'context_data': context_data,
             'rendered_config': rendered_config,
+            'error_message': error_message,
         }
 
 
diff --git a/netbox/templates/dcim/device/render_config.html b/netbox/templates/dcim/device/render_config.html
index 785939a83..ab2f1c531 100644
--- a/netbox/templates/dcim/device/render_config.html
+++ b/netbox/templates/dcim/device/render_config.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 {% block title %}{{ object }} - {% trans "Config" %}{% endblock %}
 
 {% block content %}
-  <div class="row mb-3">
+  <div class="row">
     <div class="col-5">
       <div class="card">
         <h2 class="card-header">{% trans "Config Template" %}</h2>
@@ -48,19 +48,28 @@
   </div>
   <div class="row">
     <div class="col">
-      <div class="card">
-        <h2 class="card-header d-flex justify-content-between">
-          {% trans "Rendered Config" %}
-            <a href="?export=True" class="btn btn-primary lh-1" role="button">
-              <i class="mdi mdi-download" aria-hidden="true"></i> {% trans "Download" %}
-            </a>
-        </h2>
-        {% if config_template %}
-          <pre class="card-body">{{ rendered_config }}</pre>
+      {% if config_template %}
+        {% if rendered_config %}
+          <div class="card">
+            <h2 class="card-header d-flex justify-content-between">
+              {% trans "Rendered Config" %}
+              <a href="?export=True" class="btn btn-primary lh-1" role="button">
+                <i class="mdi mdi-download" aria-hidden="true"></i> {% trans "Download" %}
+              </a>
+            </h2>
+            <pre class="card-body">{{ rendered_config }}</pre>
+          </div>
         {% else %}
-          <div class="card-body text-muted">{% trans "No configuration template found" %}</div>
+          <div class="alert alert-warning">
+            <h4 class="alert-title mb-1">{% trans "Error rendering template" %}</h4>
+            {% trans error_message %}
+          </div>
         {% endif %}
-      </div>
+      {% else %}
+        <div class="alert alert-info">
+          {% trans "No configuration template has been assigned for this device." %}
+        </div>
+      {% endif %}
     </div>
   </div>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/netbox/templates/virtualization/virtualmachine/render_config.html b/netbox/templates/virtualization/virtualmachine/render_config.html
index 5e7a0711b..fa6f1723b 100644
--- a/netbox/templates/virtualization/virtualmachine/render_config.html
+++ b/netbox/templates/virtualization/virtualmachine/render_config.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 {% block title %}{{ object }} - {% trans "Config" %}{% endblock %}
 
 {% block content %}
-  <div class="row mb-3">
+  <div class="row">
     <div class="col-5">
       <div class="card">
         <h2 class="card-header">{% trans "Config Template" %}</h2>
@@ -48,19 +48,28 @@
   </div>
   <div class="row">
     <div class="col">
-      <div class="card">
-        <h2 class="card-header d-flex justify-content-between">
-          {% trans "Rendered Config" %}
-            <a href="?export=True" class="btn btn-primary lh-1" role="button">
-              <i class="mdi mdi-download" aria-hidden="true"></i> {% trans "Download" %}
-            </a>
-        </h2>
-        {% if config_template %}
-          <pre class="card-body">{{ rendered_config }}</pre>
+      {% if config_template %}
+        {% if rendered_config %}
+          <div class="card">
+            <h2 class="card-header d-flex justify-content-between">
+              {% trans "Rendered Config" %}
+              <a href="?export=True" class="btn btn-primary lh-1" role="button">
+                <i class="mdi mdi-download" aria-hidden="true"></i> {% trans "Download" %}
+              </a>
+            </h2>
+            <pre class="card-body">{{ rendered_config }}</pre>
+          </div>
         {% else %}
-          <div class="card-body text-muted">{% trans "No configuration template found" %}</div>
+          <div class="alert alert-warning">
+            <h4 class="alert-title mb-1">{% trans "Error rendering template" %}</h4>
+            {% trans error_message %}
+          </div>
         {% endif %}
-      </div>
+      {% else %}
+        <div class="alert alert-info">
+          {% trans "No configuration template has been assigned for this virtual machine." %}
+        </div>
+      {% endif %}
     </div>
   </div>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/netbox/virtualization/views.py b/netbox/virtualization/views.py
index d1d65b1ff..f71d56b19 100644
--- a/netbox/virtualization/views.py
+++ b/netbox/virtualization/views.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import traceback
-
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.db import transaction
 from django.db.models import Prefetch, Sum
@@ -425,7 +423,8 @@ class VirtualMachineRenderConfigView(generic.ObjectView):
         # If a direct export has been requested, return the rendered template content as a
         # downloadable file.
         if request.GET.get('export'):
-            response = HttpResponse(context['rendered_config'], content_type='text')
+            content = context['rendered_config'] or context['error_message']
+            response = HttpResponse(content, content_type='text')
             filename = f"{instance.name or 'config'}.txt"
             response['Content-Disposition'] = f'attachment; filename="{filename}"'
             return response
@@ -443,17 +442,18 @@ class VirtualMachineRenderConfigView(generic.ObjectView):
 
         # Render the config template
         rendered_config = None
+        error_message = None
         if config_template := instance.get_config_template():
             try:
                 rendered_config = config_template.render(context=context_data)
             except TemplateError as e:
-                messages.error(request, _("An error occurred while rendering the template: {error}").format(error=e))
-                rendered_config = traceback.format_exc()
+                error_message = _("An error occurred while rendering the template: {error}").format(error=e)
 
         return {
             'config_template': config_template,
             'context_data': context_data,
             'rendered_config': rendered_config,
+            'error_message': error_message,
         }