diff --git a/changelog.d/5616.misc b/changelog.d/5616.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9f94be6778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/5616.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Make runtime errors surrounding password reset emails much clearer.
diff --git a/synapse/config/emailconfig.py b/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
index fcd55d3e3d..8381b8eb29 100644
--- a/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
+++ b/synapse/config/emailconfig.py
@@ -112,13 +112,17 @@ class EmailConfig(Config):
             missing = []
             for k in required:
                 if k not in email_config:
-                    missing.append(k)
+                    missing.append("email." + k)
+
+            if config.get("public_baseurl") is None:
+                missing.append("public_base_url")
 
             if len(missing) > 0:
                 raise RuntimeError(
-                    "email.password_reset_behaviour is set to 'local' "
-                    "but required keys are missing: %s"
-                    % (", ".join(["email." + k for k in missing]),)
+                    "Password resets emails are configured to be sent from "
+                    "this homeserver due to a partial 'email' block. "
+                    "However, the following required keys are missing: %s"
+                    % (", ".join(missing),)
                 )
 
             # Templates for password reset emails
@@ -156,13 +160,6 @@ class EmailConfig(Config):
                 filepath, "email.password_reset_template_success_html"
             )
 
-            if config.get("public_baseurl") is None:
-                raise RuntimeError(
-                    "email.password_reset_behaviour is set to 'local' but no "
-                    "public_baseurl is set. This is necessary to generate password "
-                    "reset links"
-                )
-
         if self.email_enable_notifs:
             required = [
                 "smtp_host",