diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/make_payment_step_view_spec.js b/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/make_payment_step_view_spec.js
index 44d7403313..15184a1e32 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/make_payment_step_view_spec.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/make_payment_step_view_spec.js
@@ -206,6 +206,16 @@ define([
                 expectPaymentButtonEnabled( true );
             });
 
+            it('displays an error if no payment processors are available', function () {
+                var view = createView({processors: []});
+                expect(view.errorModel.get('shown')).toBe(true);
+                expect(view.errorModel.get('errorTitle')).toEqual(
+                    "We're currently experiencing technical problems."
+                );
+                expect(view.errorModel.get('errorMsg')).toEqual(
+                    'Try the transaction again in a few minutes.'
+                );
+            });
         });
     }
 );
diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/pay_and_verify_view_spec.js b/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/pay_and_verify_view_spec.js
index 29fbf52b32..8fb53b910f 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/pay_and_verify_view_spec.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/verify_student/pay_and_verify_view_spec.js
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ define(['jquery', 'common/js/spec_helpers/template_helpers', 'js/verify_student/
             var createView = function( displaySteps, currentStep ) {
                 return new PayAndVerifyView({
                     displaySteps: displaySteps,
-                    currentStep: currentStep
+                    currentStep: currentStep,
+                    errorModel: new ( Backbone.Model.extend({}) )()
                 }).render();
             };
 
diff --git a/lms/static/js/verify_student/views/make_payment_step_view.js b/lms/static/js/verify_student/views/make_payment_step_view.js
index 9aee49a7b4..4388d0a0da 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/verify_student/views/make_payment_step_view.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/verify_student/views/make_payment_step_view.js
@@ -105,10 +105,20 @@ var edx = edx || {};
                 self._getProductText( templateContext.courseModeSlug, templateContext.upgrade )
             );
 
-            // create a button for each payment processor
-            _.each(processors.reverse(), function(processorName) {
-                $( 'div.payment-buttons' ).append( self._getPaymentButtonHtml(processorName) );
-            });
+            if (processors.length === 0) {
+                // No payment processors are enabled at the moment, so show an error message
+                this.errorModel.set({
+                    errorTitle: gettext("We're currently experiencing technical problems."),
+                    errorMsg: gettext('Try the transaction again in a few minutes.'),
+                    shown: true
+                })
+            }
+            else {
+                // create a button for each payment processor
+                _.each(processors.reverse(), function(processorName) {
+                    $( 'div.payment-buttons' ).append( self._getPaymentButtonHtml(processorName) );
+                });
+            }
 
             // Handle payment submission
             $( '.payment-button' ).on( 'click', _.bind( this.createOrder, this ) );