diff --git a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.js b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.js
index 76c6b7a494cd3..1243bdf2ac90c 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import classNames from 'classnames';
 
 import { DashboardViewMode } from '../dashboard_view_mode';
 import { PanelHeader } from './panel_header';
+import { PanelError } from './panel_error';
 
 export class DashboardPanel extends React.Component {
 
@@ -15,13 +16,18 @@ export class DashboardPanel extends React.Component {
     this._isMounted = false;
   }
 
-  async componentDidMount() {
+  componentDidMount() {
     this._isMounted = true;
     const { getEmbeddableHandler, panel, getContainerApi } = this.props;
 
     this.containerApi = getContainerApi();
     this.embeddableHandler = getEmbeddableHandler(panel.type);
 
+    if (!this.embeddableHandler) {
+      /* eslint-disable react/no-did-mount-set-state */
+      this.setState({ error: `Invalid panel type ${panel.type}` });
+    }
+
     // TODO: use redux instead of the isMounted anti-pattern to handle the case when the component is unmounted
     // before the async calls above return. We can then get rid of the eslint disable line. Without redux, there is
     // not a better option, since you aren't supposed to run async calls inside of componentWillMount.
@@ -37,10 +43,15 @@ export class DashboardPanel extends React.Component {
     });
 
     if (this._isMounted) {
-      this.destroyEmbeddable = await this.embeddableHandler.render(
-        this.panelElement,
-        panel,
-        this.containerApi);
+      this.embeddableHandler.render(
+          this.panelElement,
+          panel,
+          this.containerApi)
+        .then(destroyEmbeddable => this.destroyEmbeddable = destroyEmbeddable)
+        .catch(error => {
+          const message = error.message || JSON.stringify(error);
+          this.setState({ error: message });
+        });
     }
   }
 
@@ -78,6 +89,20 @@ export class DashboardPanel extends React.Component {
     }
   }
 
+  renderEmbeddedContent() {
+    return (
+      <div
+        id="embeddedPanel"
+        className="panel-content"
+        ref={panelElement => this.panelElement = panelElement}
+      />
+    );
+  }
+
+  renderEmbeddedError() {
+    return <PanelError error={this.state.error} />;
+  }
+
   render() {
     const { title } = this.state;
     const { dashboardViewMode, isFullScreenMode, isExpanded } = this.props;
@@ -102,11 +127,9 @@ export class DashboardPanel extends React.Component {
             isExpanded={isExpanded}
             isViewOnlyMode={isFullScreenMode || dashboardViewMode === DashboardViewMode.VIEW}
           />
-          <div
-            id="embeddedPanel"
-            className="panel-content"
-            ref={panelElement => this.panelElement = panelElement}
-          />
+
+          {this.state.error ? this.renderEmbeddedError() : this.renderEmbeddedContent()}
+
         </div>
       </div>
     );
diff --git a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.test.js b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.test.js
index 3cc6b99b3a0e6..26d56fa50d5d0 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.test.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/dashboard_panel.test.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import _ from 'lodash';
 import { mount } from 'enzyme';
 import { DashboardViewMode } from '../dashboard_view_mode';
 import { DashboardPanel } from './dashboard_panel';
+import { PanelError } from '../panel/panel_error';
 
 const containerApiMock = {
   addFilter: () => {},
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ const containerApiMock = {
 const embeddableHandlerMock = {
   getEditPath: () => Promise.resolve('editPath'),
   getTitleFor: () => Promise.resolve('title'),
-  render: jest.fn()
+  render: jest.fn(() => Promise.resolve(() => {}))
 };
 
 function getProps(props = {}) {
@@ -45,3 +46,24 @@ test('DashboardPanel matches snapshot', () => {
 test('and calls render', () => {
   expect(embeddableHandlerMock.render.mock.calls.length).toBe(1);
 });
+
+test('renders an error message when an error is thrown', () => {
+  const props = getProps({
+    getEmbeddableHandler: () => {
+      return {
+        getEditPath: () => Promise.resolve('editPath'),
+        getTitleFor: () => Promise.resolve('title'),
+        render: () => Promise.reject(new Error({ message: 'simulated error' }))
+      };
+    }
+  });
+  const component = mount(<DashboardPanel {...props} />);
+  return new Promise(resolve => {
+    return process.nextTick(() => {
+      const panelElements = component.find(PanelError);
+      expect(panelElements.length).toBe(1);
+      resolve();
+    });
+  });
+});
+
diff --git a/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/panel_error.js b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/panel_error.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6c247691496ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core_plugins/kibana/public/dashboard/panel/panel_error.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+
+export function PanelError({ error }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="load-error">
+      <span aria-hidden="true" className="kuiIcon fa-exclamation-triangle"/>
+      <span>{error}</span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+PanelError.PropTypes = {
+  error: PropTypes.oneOfType([
+    PropTypes.string,
+    PropTypes.node
+  ]),
+};
+