diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index f2a00d535..3a5d95fa9 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -64,10 +64,8 @@ Unreleased Changes
       has been merged into ``utils.read_csv_to_dataframe``
       (`#1319 <https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1319>`_),
       (`#1327 <https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1327>`_)
-* Coastal Blue Carbon
-    * Added validation for the transition table, raising a validation error if
-      unexpected values are encountered.
-      (`#729 <https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/729>`_)
+    * Improved the validation message that is returned when not all spatial
+      inputs overlap (`#502 <https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/502>`_)
 * Workbench
     * Fixed a bug where sampledata downloads failed silently (and progress bar
       became innacurate) if the Workbench did not have write permission to
@@ -85,6 +83,10 @@ Unreleased Changes
     * Middle clicking an InVEST model tab was opening a blank window. Now
       middle clicking will close that tab as expected.
       (`#1261 <https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/1261>`_)
+* Coastal Blue Carbon
+    * Added validation for the transition table, raising a validation error if
+      unexpected values are encountered.
+      (`#729 <https://github.com/natcap/invest/issues/729>`_)
 * Forest Carbon
     * The biophysical table is now case-insensitive.
 * HRA
diff --git a/src/natcap/invest/validation.py b/src/natcap/invest/validation.py
index 0b0da62c7..6391ca682 100644
--- a/src/natcap/invest/validation.py
+++ b/src/natcap/invest/validation.py
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@
     'NOT_AN_INTEGER': gettext('Value "{value}" does not represent an integer'),
     'NOT_BOOLEAN': gettext("Value must be either True or False, not {value}"),
     'NO_PROJECTION': gettext('Spatial file {filepath} has no projection'),
-    'BBOX_NOT_INTERSECT': gettext("Bounding boxes do not intersect: {bboxes}"),
+    'BBOX_NOT_INTERSECT': gettext('Not all of the spatial layers overlap each '
+        'other. All bounding boxes must intersect: {bboxes}'),
     'NEED_PERMISSION': gettext('You must have {permission} access to this file'),
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_habitat_quality.py b/tests/test_habitat_quality.py
index 2c4d9a4d6..fc9ceab06 100644
--- a/tests/test_habitat_quality.py
+++ b/tests/test_habitat_quality.py
@@ -1934,7 +1934,7 @@ def test_habitat_quality_argspec_spatial_overlap(self):
         self.assertTrue(
             validate_result,
             "expected failed validations instead didn't get any.")
-        self.assertIn("Bounding boxes do not intersect", validate_result[0][1])
+        self.assertIn("bounding boxes must intersect", validate_result[0][1])
 
     def test_habitat_quality_argspec_missing_projection(self):
         """Habitat Quality: raise error on missing projection."""
diff --git a/workbench/src/renderer/components/SetupTab/ArgInput/index.jsx b/workbench/src/renderer/components/SetupTab/ArgInput/index.jsx
index b6166a92a..e19041909 100644
--- a/workbench/src/renderer/components/SetupTab/ArgInput/index.jsx
+++ b/workbench/src/renderer/components/SetupTab/ArgInput/index.jsx
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ const { ipcRenderer } = window.Workbench.electron;
  * @returns {string} - the filtered and formatted part of the message
  */
 function filterSpatialOverlapFeedback(message, filepath) {
-  const newPrefix = i18n.t('Bounding box does not intersect at least one other:');
+  const newPrefix = i18n.t(
+    'Not all of the spatial layers overlap each other. Bounding box:');
   const bbox = message.split(`${filepath}:`).pop().split('|')[0];
   const bboxFormatted = bbox.split(' ').map(
     (str) => str.padEnd(22, ' ')
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ export default function ArgInput(props) {
   // Messages with this pattern include validation feedback about
   // multiple inputs, but the whole message is repeated for each input.
   // It's more readable if filtered on the individual input.
-  const pattern = 'Bounding boxes do not intersect';
+  const pattern = 'Not all of the spatial layers overlap each other';
   if (validationMessage.startsWith(pattern)) {
     validationMessage = filterSpatialOverlapFeedback(
       validationMessage, value
diff --git a/workbench/tests/renderer/setuptab.test.js b/workbench/tests/renderer/setuptab.test.js
index 843aba394..4806ad0b2 100644
--- a/workbench/tests/renderer/setuptab.test.js
+++ b/workbench/tests/renderer/setuptab.test.js
@@ -592,8 +592,8 @@ describe('Misc form validation stuff', () => {
     const rasterValue = './raster.tif';
     const expectedVal2 = '-79.0198012081401';
     const rasterBox = `[${expectedVal2}, 26.481559513537064, -78.37173806200593, 27.268061760228512]`;
-    const message = `Bounding boxes do not intersect: ${vectorValue}: ${vectorBox} | ${rasterValue}: ${rasterBox}`;
-    const newPrefix = 'Bounding box does not intersect at least one other:';
+    const message = `Not all of the spatial layers overlap each other. All bounding boxes must intersect: ${vectorValue}: ${vectorBox} | ${rasterValue}: ${rasterBox}`;
+    const newPrefix = 'Not all of the spatial layers overlap each other. Bounding box:';
     const vectorMessage = new RegExp(`${newPrefix}\\s*\\[${expectedVal1}`);
     const rasterMessage = new RegExp(`${newPrefix}\\s*\\[${expectedVal2}`);