diff --git a/djangoapps/courseware/capa/inputtypes.py b/djangoapps/courseware/capa/inputtypes.py
index 55a21af551..6a790af2e2 100644
--- a/djangoapps/courseware/capa/inputtypes.py
+++ b/djangoapps/courseware/capa/inputtypes.py
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ def textline(element, value, state, msg=""):
     eid=element.get('id')
     count = int(eid.split('_')[-2])-1 # HACK
     size = element.get('size')
-    context = {'id':eid, 'value':value, 'state':state, 'count':count, 'size': size}
+    context = {'id':eid, 'value':value, 'state':state, 'count':count, 'size': size, 'msg': msg}
     html=render_to_string("textinput.html", context)
     return etree.XML(html)
 
diff --git a/templates/textinput.html b/templates/textinput.html
index 7c330777f3..3e01ae3306 100644
--- a/templates/textinput.html
+++ b/templates/textinput.html
@@ -16,4 +16,7 @@
   % elif state == 'incomplete':
   <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}"></span>
   % endif
+  % if msg:
+      <span class="message">${msg|n}</span>
+  % endif
 </section>