diff --git a/src/components/views/room_settings/RoomPublishSetting.tsx b/src/components/views/room_settings/RoomPublishSetting.tsx
index 5fddb66a154..f97776bf94b 100644
--- a/src/components/views/room_settings/RoomPublishSetting.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/room_settings/RoomPublishSetting.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import LabelledToggleSwitch from "../elements/LabelledToggleSwitch";
 import { _t } from "../../../languageHandler";
 import { MatrixClientPeg } from "../../../MatrixClientPeg";
 import DirectoryCustomisations from "../../../customisations/Directory";
+import Modal from "../../../Modal";
+import ErrorDialog from "../dialogs/ErrorDialog";
 
 interface IProps {
     roomId: string;
@@ -41,6 +43,13 @@ export default class RoomPublishSetting extends React.PureComponent<IProps, ISta
         };
     }
 
+    private showError(): void {
+        Modal.createDialog(ErrorDialog, {
+            title: _t("room_settings|general|error_publishing"),
+            description: _t("room_settings|general|error_publishing_detail"),
+        });
+    }
+
     private onRoomPublishChange = (): void => {
         const valueBefore = this.state.isRoomPublished;
         const newValue = !valueBefore;
@@ -50,6 +59,7 @@ export default class RoomPublishSetting extends React.PureComponent<IProps, ISta
         client
             .setRoomDirectoryVisibility(this.props.roomId, newValue ? Visibility.Public : Visibility.Private)
             .catch(() => {
+                this.showError();
                 // Roll back the local echo on the change
                 this.setState({ isRoomPublished: valueBefore });
             });
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index b1f4fb46070..e1e44efc61d 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -2214,6 +2214,8 @@
             "error_deleting_alias_description": "There was an error removing that address. It may no longer exist or a temporary error occurred.",
             "error_deleting_alias_description_forbidden": "You don't have permission to delete the address.",
             "error_deleting_alias_title": "Error removing address",
+            "error_publishing": "Unable to publish room",
+            "error_publishing_detail": "There was an error publishing this room",
             "error_save_space_settings": "Failed to save space settings.",
             "error_updating_alias_description": "There was an error updating the room's alternative addresses. It may not be allowed by the server or a temporary failure occurred.",
             "error_updating_canonical_alias_description": "There was an error updating the room's main address. It may not be allowed by the server or a temporary failure occurred.",