diff --git a/django/db/utils.py b/django/db/utils.py
index 28afa6cd076..cb52e6e9ea4 100644
--- a/django/db/utils.py
+++ b/django/db/utils.py
@@ -120,8 +120,10 @@ def load_backend(backend_name):
         if backend_name not in ['django.db.backends.%s' % b for b in builtin_backends]:
             backend_reprs = map(repr, sorted(builtin_backends))
             raise ImproperlyConfigured(
-                "%r isn't an available database backend.\n"
-                "Try using 'django.db.backends.XXX', where XXX is one of:\n"
+                "%r isn't an available database backend or couldn't be "
+                "imported. Check the above exception. To use one of the "
+                "built-in backends, use 'django.db.backends.XXX', where XXX "
+                "is one of:\n"
                 "    %s" % (backend_name, ", ".join(backend_reprs))
             ) from e_user
         else:
diff --git a/tests/db_utils/tests.py b/tests/db_utils/tests.py
index 2a1cec03653..3ce8e82cd30 100644
--- a/tests/db_utils/tests.py
+++ b/tests/db_utils/tests.py
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ class LoadBackendTests(SimpleTestCase):
 
     def test_load_backend_invalid_name(self):
         msg = (
-            "'foo' isn't an available database backend.\n"
-            "Try using 'django.db.backends.XXX', where XXX is one of:\n"
+            "'foo' isn't an available database backend or couldn't be "
+            "imported. Check the above exception. To use one of the built-in "
+            "backends, use 'django.db.backends.XXX', where XXX is one of:\n"
             "    'mysql', 'oracle', 'postgresql', 'sqlite3'"
         )
         with self.assertRaisesMessage(ImproperlyConfigured, msg) as cm: