diff --git a/site/jest.config.js b/site/jest.config.js
index 17e6e73fd154d..d72d368ab8efa 100644
--- a/site/jest.config.js
+++ b/site/jest.config.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ module.exports = {
       preset: "ts-jest",
 
       roots: ["<rootDir>"],
+      setupFilesAfterEnv: ["./jest.setup.ts"],
       transform: {
         "^.+\\.tsx?$": "ts-jest",
       },
diff --git a/site/jest.setup.ts b/site/jest.setup.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..71ac0a695c1da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site/jest.setup.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// Helper utility to fail jest tests if a console.error is logged
+// Pulled from this blog post:
+// https://www.benmvp.com/blog/catch-warnings-jest-tests/
+
+// For now, I limited this to just 'error' - but failing on warnings
+// would be a nice next step! We may need to filter out some noise
+// from material-ui though.
+const CONSOLE_FAIL_TYPES = ["error" /* 'warn' */]
+
+// Throw errors when a `console.error` or `console.warn` happens
+// by overriding the functions
+CONSOLE_FAIL_TYPES.forEach((logType: string) => {
+  // Suppressing the no-explicit-any to override certain console functions for testing
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+  const consoleAsAny = global.console as any
+  consoleAsAny[logType] = (message: string): void => {
+    throw new Error(`Failing due to console.${logType} while running test!\n\n${message}`)
+  }
+})
+
+// This is needed because we are compiling under `--isolatedModules`
+export {}
diff --git a/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.test.tsx b/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.test.tsx
index ff75a28b08365..f7c16ee3d4674 100644
--- a/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.test.tsx
+++ b/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.test.tsx
@@ -11,4 +11,25 @@ describe("EmptyState", () => {
     // Then
     await screen.findByText("Hello, world")
   })
+
+  it("renders description text", async () => {
+    // When
+    render(<EmptyState message="Hello, world" description="Friendly greeting" />)
+
+    // Then
+    await screen.findByText("Hello, world")
+    await screen.findByText("Friendly greeting")
+  })
+
+  it("renders description component", async () => {
+    // Given
+    const description = <button title="Click me" />
+
+    // When
+    render(<EmptyState message="Hello, world" description={description} />)
+
+    // Then
+    await screen.findByText("Hello, world")
+    await screen.findByRole("button")
+  })
 })
diff --git a/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.tsx b/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.tsx
index 9ede15116a2f3..5fab2e04dae00 100644
--- a/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.tsx
+++ b/site/src/components/EmptyState/index.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import Typography from "@material-ui/core/Typography"
 
 export interface EmptyStateProps {
   /** Text Message to display, placed inside Typography component */
-  message: React.ReactNode
+  message: string
   /** Longer optional description to display below the message */
   description?: React.ReactNode
   button?: ButtonProps
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@ export interface EmptyStateProps {
 export const EmptyState: React.FC<EmptyStateProps> = (props) => {
   const { message, description, button, ...boxProps } = props
   const styles = useStyles()
-
-  const descClassName = `${styles.description}`
   const buttonClassName = `${styles.button} ${button && button.className ? button.className : ""}`
 
   return (
@@ -32,11 +30,7 @@ export const EmptyState: React.FC<EmptyStateProps> = (props) => {
       <Typography variant="h5" color="textSecondary" className={styles.header}>
         {message}
       </Typography>
-      {description && (
-        <Typography variant="body2" color="textSecondary" className={descClassName}>
-          {description}
-        </Typography>
-      )}
+      {description && <div className={styles.description}>{description}</div>}
       {button && <Button variant="contained" color="primary" {...button} className={buttonClassName} />}
     </Box>
   )
@@ -59,6 +53,8 @@ const useStyles = makeStyles(
     description: {
       marginTop: theme.spacing(2),
       marginBottom: theme.spacing(1),
+      color: theme.palette.text.secondary,
+      fontSize: theme.typography.body2.fontSize,
     },
     button: {
       marginTop: theme.spacing(2),