diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/ml_parser/lexer.ts b/packages/compiler/src/ml_parser/lexer.ts
index ffe386537e..38a82a7d23 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/ml_parser/lexer.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/ml_parser/lexer.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,16 @@ function _unknownEntityErrorMsg(entitySrc: string): string {
   return `Unknown entity "${entitySrc}" - use the "&#<decimal>;" or  "&#x<hex>;" syntax`;
 }
 
+function _unparsableEntityErrorMsg(type: CharacterReferenceType, entityStr: string): string {
+  return `Unable to parse entity "${entityStr}" - ${
+      type} character reference entities must end with ";"`;
+}
+
+enum CharacterReferenceType {
+  HEX = 'hexadecimal',
+  DEC = 'decimal',
+}
+
 class _ControlFlowError {
   constructor(public error: TokenError) {}
 }
@@ -400,8 +410,13 @@ class _Tokenizer {
       const codeStart = this._cursor.clone();
       this._attemptCharCodeUntilFn(isDigitEntityEnd);
       if (this._cursor.peek() != chars.$SEMICOLON) {
+        // Advance cursor to include the peeked character in the string provided to the error
+        // message.
+        this._cursor.advance();
+        const entityType = isHex ? CharacterReferenceType.HEX : CharacterReferenceType.DEC;
         throw this._createError(
-            _unexpectedCharacterErrorMsg(this._cursor.peek()), this._cursor.getSpan());
+            _unparsableEntityErrorMsg(entityType, this._cursor.getChars(start)),
+            this._cursor.getSpan());
       }
       const strNum = this._cursor.getChars(codeStart);
       this._cursor.advance();
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/ml_parser/lexer_spec.ts b/packages/compiler/test/ml_parser/lexer_spec.ts
index 79b387e86f..32895b12ea 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/ml_parser/lexer_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/ml_parser/lexer_spec.ts
@@ -477,12 +477,16 @@ import {ParseLocation, ParseSourceFile, ParseSourceSpan} from '../../src/parse_u
           lex.TokenType.TEXT,
           'Unknown entity "tbo" - use the "&#<decimal>;" or  "&#x<hex>;" syntax', '0:0'
         ]]);
-        expect(tokenizeAndHumanizeErrors('&#3sdf;')).toEqual([
-          [lex.TokenType.TEXT, 'Unexpected character "s"', '0:3']
-        ]);
-        expect(tokenizeAndHumanizeErrors('&#xasdf;')).toEqual([
-          [lex.TokenType.TEXT, 'Unexpected character "s"', '0:4']
-        ]);
+        expect(tokenizeAndHumanizeErrors('&#3sdf;')).toEqual([[
+          lex.TokenType.TEXT,
+          'Unable to parse entity "&#3s" - decimal character reference entities must end with ";"',
+          '0:4'
+        ]]);
+        expect(tokenizeAndHumanizeErrors('&#xasdf;')).toEqual([[
+          lex.TokenType.TEXT,
+          'Unable to parse entity "&#xas" - hexadecimal character reference entities must end with ";"',
+          '0:5'
+        ]]);
 
         expect(tokenizeAndHumanizeErrors('&#xABC')).toEqual([
           [lex.TokenType.TEXT, 'Unexpected character "EOF"', '0:6']