diff --git a/src/renderers/dom/client/ReactMount.js b/src/renderers/dom/client/ReactMount.js
index ea62047b0a..641c181455 100644
--- a/src/renderers/dom/client/ReactMount.js
+++ b/src/renderers/dom/client/ReactMount.js
@@ -382,11 +382,11 @@ var ReactMount = {
       'ReactDOM.render(): Invalid component element.%s',
       (
         typeof nextElement === 'string' ?
-          ' Instead of passing an element string, make sure to instantiate ' +
-          'it by passing it to React.createElement.' :
+          ' Instead of passing a string like \'div\', pass ' +
+          'React.createElement(\'div\') or <div />.' :
         typeof nextElement === 'function' ?
-          ' Instead of passing a component class, make sure to instantiate ' +
-          'it by passing it to React.createElement.' :
+          ' Instead of passing a class like Foo, pass ' +
+          'React.createElement(Foo) or <Foo />.' :
         // Check if it quacks like an element
         nextElement != null && nextElement.props !== undefined ?
           ' This may be caused by unintentionally loading two independent ' +
diff --git a/src/renderers/dom/client/__tests__/ReactMount-test.js b/src/renderers/dom/client/__tests__/ReactMount-test.js
index 4c0f2a5e23..06b1c16415 100644
--- a/src/renderers/dom/client/__tests__/ReactMount-test.js
+++ b/src/renderers/dom/client/__tests__/ReactMount-test.js
@@ -54,9 +54,8 @@ describe('ReactMount', function() {
     expect(function() {
       ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument('div');
     }).toThrow(
-      'ReactDOM.render(): Invalid component element. Instead of passing an ' +
-      'element string, make sure to instantiate it by passing it to ' +
-      'React.createElement.'
+      'ReactDOM.render(): Invalid component element. Instead of passing a ' +
+      'string like \'div\', pass React.createElement(\'div\') or <div />.'
     );
   });
 
@@ -70,8 +69,7 @@ describe('ReactMount', function() {
       ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument(Component);
     }).toThrow(
       'ReactDOM.render(): Invalid component element. Instead of passing a ' +
-      'component class, make sure to instantiate it by passing it to ' +
-      'React.createElement.'
+      'class like Foo, pass React.createElement(Foo) or <Foo />.'
     );
   });