diff --git a/otelcol/config.go b/otelcol/config.go
index 4f5a7680aed..9345405b4fd 100644
--- a/otelcol/config.go
+++ b/otelcol/config.go
@@ -82,10 +82,14 @@ func (cfg *Config) Validate() error {
 		}
 
 		if _, ok := cfg.Exporters[connID]; ok {
-			return fmt.Errorf("connectors::%s: there's already an exporter named %q", connID, connID)
+			return fmt.Errorf("connectors::%s: ambiguous ID: Found both %q exporter and %q connector. "+
+				"Change one of the components' IDs to eliminate ambiguity (e.g. rename %q connector to %q)",
+				connID, connID, connID, connID, connID.String()+"/connector")
 		}
 		if _, ok := cfg.Receivers[connID]; ok {
-			return fmt.Errorf("connectors::%s: there's already a receiver named %q", connID, connID)
+			return fmt.Errorf("connectors::%s: ambiguous ID: Found both %q receiver and %q connector. "+
+				"Change one of the components' IDs to eliminate ambiguity (e.g. rename %q connector to %q)",
+				connID, connID, connID, connID, connID.String()+"/connector")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/otelcol/config_test.go b/otelcol/config_test.go
index 924a7f24a50..9a4ddb87c4f 100644
--- a/otelcol/config_test.go
+++ b/otelcol/config_test.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func TestConfigValidate(t *testing.T) {
 				pipe.Exporters = append(pipe.Exporters, component.NewIDWithName("nop", "2"))
 				return cfg
 			},
-			expected: errors.New(`connectors::nop/2: there's already a receiver named "nop/2"`),
+			expected: errors.New(`connectors::nop/2: ambiguous ID: Found both "nop/2" receiver and "nop/2" connector. Change one of the components' IDs to eliminate ambiguity (e.g. rename "nop/2" connector to "nop/2/connector")`),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "ambiguous-connector-name-as-exporter",
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestConfigValidate(t *testing.T) {
 				pipe.Exporters = append(pipe.Exporters, component.NewIDWithName("nop", "2"))
 				return cfg
 			},
-			expected: errors.New(`connectors::nop/2: there's already an exporter named "nop/2"`),
+			expected: errors.New(`connectors::nop/2: ambiguous ID: Found both "nop/2" exporter and "nop/2" connector. Change one of the components' IDs to eliminate ambiguity (e.g. rename "nop/2" connector to "nop/2/connector")`),
 		},
 		{
 			name: "invalid-connector-reference-as-receiver",