diff --git a/solr/CHANGES.txt b/solr/CHANGES.txt
index 26f49d37225..33e3a17188a 100644
--- a/solr/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/solr/CHANGES.txt
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ Bug Fixes
   later when a filter of the same term was specified.
   (Günter Hipler, hossman, yonik)
 
+* SOLR-3679: Core Admin UI gives no feedback if "Add Core" fails (steffkes, hossman)
 
 Other Changes
 ----------------------
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CoreAdminHandler.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CoreAdminHandler.java
index e85997b5444..1c299a1e301 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CoreAdminHandler.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/handler/admin/CoreAdminHandler.java
@@ -442,9 +442,13 @@ public class CoreAdminHandler extends RequestHandlerBase {
    * @throws SolrException in case of a configuration error.
    */
   protected boolean handleCreateAction(SolrQueryRequest req, SolrQueryResponse rsp) throws SolrException {
+    SolrParams params = req.getParams();
+    String name = params.get(CoreAdminParams.NAME);
+    if (null == name || "".equals(name)) {
+      throw new SolrException(SolrException.ErrorCode.BAD_REQUEST,
+                              "Core name is mandatory to CREATE a SolrCore");
+    }
     try {
-      SolrParams params = req.getParams();
-      String name = params.get(CoreAdminParams.NAME);
       
       //for now, do not allow creating new core with same name when in cloud mode
       //XXX perhaps it should just be unregistered from cloud before readding it?, 
@@ -518,7 +522,8 @@ public class CoreAdminHandler extends RequestHandlerBase {
       return coreContainer.isPersistent();
     } catch (Exception ex) {
       throw new SolrException(SolrException.ErrorCode.BAD_REQUEST,
-              "Error executing default implementation of CREATE", ex);
+                              "Error CREATEing SolrCore '" + name + "': " +
+                              ex.getMessage(), ex);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css b/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css
index c60f25d0e38..2481105f83d 100644
--- a/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css
+++ b/solr/webapp/web/css/styles/cores.css
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@
   display: none;
 }
 
+#content #cores .actions form .error
+{
+  color: #800;
+  display: none;
+}
+
 #content #cores .actions form p
 {
   padding-bottom: 8px;
@@ -62,7 +68,8 @@
 
 #content #cores .actions form input,
 #content #cores .actions form select,
-#content #cores .actions form .buttons
+#content #cores .actions form .buttons,
+#content #cores .actions form .error span
 {
   float: right;
   width: 73%;
diff --git a/solr/webapp/web/js/scripts/cores.js b/solr/webapp/web/js/scripts/cores.js
index 05f21b1f71b..cf5cf1c5d96 100644
--- a/solr/webapp/web/js/scripts/cores.js
+++ b/solr/webapp/web/js/scripts/cores.js
@@ -365,6 +365,12 @@ sammy.get
                       },
                       error : function( xhr, text_status, error_thrown )
                       {
+                        var response = null;
+                        eval( 'response = ' + xhr.responseText + ';' );
+
+                        var error_elem = $( '.error', div_action.filter( ':visible' ) );
+                        error_elem.show();
+                        $( 'span', error_elem ).text( response.error.msg );
                       },
                       complete : function()
                       {
diff --git a/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html b/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html
index cf6e1f3472a..fba06b60d0e 100644
--- a/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html
+++ b/solr/webapp/web/tpl/cores.html
@@ -36,19 +36,19 @@ limitations under the License.
           <input type="hidden" name="action" value="CREATE">
 
           <p class="clearfix"><label for="add_name">name:</label>
-          <input type="text" name="name" id="add_name" placeholder="new_core"></p>
+          <input type="text" name="name" id="add_name" value="new_core"></p>
 
           <p class="clearfix"><label for="add_instanceDir">instanceDir:</label>
-          <input type="text" name="instanceDir" id="add_instanceDir" placeholder="new_core"></p>
+          <input type="text" name="instanceDir" id="add_instanceDir" value="new_core"></p>
 
           <p class="clearfix"><label for="add_dataDir">dataDir:</label>
-          <input type="text" name="dataDir" id="dataDir" placeholder="data"></p>
+          <input type="text" name="dataDir" id="dataDir" value="data"></p>
 
           <p class="clearfix"><label for="add_config">config:</label>
-          <input type="text" name="config" id="add_config" placeholder="solrconfig.xml"></p>
+          <input type="text" name="config" id="add_config" value="solrconfig.xml"></p>
 
           <p class="clearfix"><label for="add_schema">schema:</label>
-          <input type="text" name="schema" id="add_schema" placeholder="schema.xml"></p>
+          <input type="text" name="schema" id="add_schema" value="schema.xml"></p>
 
           <div class="cloud">
 
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ limitations under the License.
 
           </div>
 
+          <p class="clearfix error">
+
+            <span></span>
+
+          </p>
+
           <p class="clearfix buttons">
             <button type="submit" class="submit"><span>Add Core</span></button>
             <button type="reset" class="reset"><span>Cancel</span></button>