diff --git a/awx/ui/client/legacy-styles/lists.less b/awx/ui/client/legacy-styles/lists.less
index 149ba2c80d..d3948f6c79 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/legacy-styles/lists.less
+++ b/awx/ui/client/legacy-styles/lists.less
@@ -346,6 +346,8 @@ table, tbody {
     background-color: @default-no-items-bord;
     color: @list-no-items-txt;
     text-transform: uppercase;
+    text-align: center;
+    padding: 10px;
 }
 
 .modal-body > .List-noItems {
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/inventories-hosts/inventories/smart-inventory/smart-inventory-host-filter/host-filter-modal/host-filter-modal.directive.js b/awx/ui/client/src/inventories-hosts/inventories/smart-inventory/smart-inventory-host-filter/host-filter-modal/host-filter-modal.directive.js
index caad82cc41..56998865da 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/inventories-hosts/inventories/smart-inventory/smart-inventory-host-filter/host-filter-modal/host-filter-modal.directive.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/inventories-hosts/inventories/smart-inventory/smart-inventory-host-filter/host-filter-modal/host-filter-modal.directive.js
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export default ['templateUrl', function(templateUrl) {
                         hostList.well = false;
                         delete hostList.fields.inventory.ngClick;
                         hostList.fields.inventory.ngBind = 'host.summary_fields.inventory.name';
+                        hostList.emptyListText = 'You must have access to at least one host in order to create a smart inventory host filter';
                         let html = GenerateList.build({
                             list: hostList,
                             input_type: 'host-filter-modal-body',