diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver.h b/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver.h
index a1db671e5c..773f8cf636 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver.h
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class RemoteReceiverComponent : public remote_base::RemoteReceiverBase,
   void decode_rmt_(rmt_item32_t *item, size_t len);
   RingbufHandle_t ringbuf_;
   esp_err_t error_code_{ESP_OK};
+  std::string error_string_{""};
 #endif
 
 #if defined(USE_ESP8266) || defined(USE_LIBRETINY)
diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver_esp32.cpp b/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver_esp32.cpp
index c0bfb0222f..91295871e2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver_esp32.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_receiver/remote_receiver_esp32.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ void RemoteReceiverComponent::setup() {
   esp_err_t error = rmt_config(&rmt);
   if (error != ESP_OK) {
     this->error_code_ = error;
+    this->error_string_ = "in rmt_config";
     this->mark_failed();
     return;
   }
@@ -36,18 +37,25 @@ void RemoteReceiverComponent::setup() {
   error = rmt_driver_install(this->channel_, this->buffer_size_, 0);
   if (error != ESP_OK) {
     this->error_code_ = error;
+    if (error == ESP_ERR_INVALID_STATE) {
+      this->error_string_ = str_sprintf("RMT channel %i is already in use by another component", this->channel_);
+    } else {
+      this->error_string_ = "in rmt_driver_install";
+    }
     this->mark_failed();
     return;
   }
   error = rmt_get_ringbuf_handle(this->channel_, &this->ringbuf_);
   if (error != ESP_OK) {
     this->error_code_ = error;
+    this->error_string_ = "in rmt_get_ringbuf_handle";
     this->mark_failed();
     return;
   }
   error = rmt_rx_start(this->channel_, true);
   if (error != ESP_OK) {
     this->error_code_ = error;
+    this->error_string_ = "in rmt_rx_start";
     this->mark_failed();
     return;
   }
@@ -67,7 +75,8 @@ void RemoteReceiverComponent::dump_config() {
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Filter out pulses shorter than: %" PRIu32 " us", this->filter_us_);
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Signal is done after %" PRIu32 " us of no changes", this->idle_us_);
   if (this->is_failed()) {
-    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Configuring RMT driver failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(this->error_code_));
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Configuring RMT driver failed: %s (%s)", esp_err_to_name(this->error_code_),
+             this->error_string_.c_str());
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter.h b/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter.h
index e736172cda..b897fa8fab 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter.h
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class RemoteTransmitterComponent : public remote_base::RemoteTransmitterBase,
   bool initialized_{false};
   std::vector<rmt_item32_t> rmt_temp_;
   esp_err_t error_code_{ESP_OK};
+  std::string error_string_{""};
   bool inverted_{false};
 #endif
   uint8_t carrier_duty_percent_;
diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter_esp32.cpp b/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter_esp32.cpp
index c3d4d42e4f..eea35019ff 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter_esp32.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_transmitter/remote_transmitter_esp32.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ void RemoteTransmitterComponent::dump_config() {
   }
 
   if (this->is_failed()) {
-    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Configuring RMT driver failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(this->error_code_));
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Configuring RMT driver failed: %s (%s)", esp_err_to_name(this->error_code_),
+             this->error_string_.c_str());
   }
 }
 
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ void RemoteTransmitterComponent::configure_rmt_() {
   esp_err_t error = rmt_config(&c);
   if (error != ESP_OK) {
     this->error_code_ = error;
+    this->error_string_ = "in rmt_config";
     this->mark_failed();
     return;
   }
@@ -64,6 +66,11 @@ void RemoteTransmitterComponent::configure_rmt_() {
     error = rmt_driver_install(this->channel_, 0, 0);
     if (error != ESP_OK) {
       this->error_code_ = error;
+      if (error == ESP_ERR_INVALID_STATE) {
+        this->error_string_ = str_sprintf("RMT channel %i is already in use by another component", this->channel_);
+      } else {
+        this->error_string_ = "in rmt_driver_install";
+      }
       this->mark_failed();
       return;
     }