diff --git a/org-roam-capture.el b/org-roam-capture.el
index d547ad4..42caa18 100644
--- a/org-roam-capture.el
+++ b/org-roam-capture.el
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 (require 'org-capture)
 (require 'dash)
 (require 's)
+(require 'cl-lib)
 
 ;; Declarations
 (defvar org-roam-encrypt-files)
@@ -279,23 +280,21 @@ This function is used solely in Org-roam's capture templates: see
 
 (defun org-roam-capture--convert-template (template)
   "Convert TEMPLATE from Org-roam syntax to `org-capture-templates' syntax."
-  (let* ((copy (copy-tree template))
-         converted
-         org-roam-plist
-         key
-         val)
-    ;;put positional args on converted template
-    (dotimes (_ 5)
-      (push (pop copy) converted))
-    (while (setq key (pop copy)
-                 val (pop copy))
-      (if (member key org-roam-capture--template-keywords)
-          (progn
-            (push val org-roam-plist)
-            (push key org-roam-plist))
-        (push key converted)
-        (push val converted)))
-    (append (nreverse converted) `(:org-roam ,org-roam-plist))))
+  (pcase template
+    (`(,_key ,_description) template)
+    (`(,key ,description ,type ,target . ,rest)
+     (let ((converted `(,key ,description ,type ,target
+                             ,(unless (keywordp (car rest)) (pop rest))))
+           org-roam-plist
+           options)
+       (while rest
+         (let* ((key (pop rest))
+                (val (pop rest))
+                (custom (member key org-roam-capture--template-keywords)))
+           (push val (if custom org-roam-plist options))
+           (push key (if custom org-roam-plist options))))
+       (append converted options `(:org-roam ,org-roam-plist))))
+    (_ (user-error "Invalid capture template format: %s" template))))
 
 (defun org-roam-capture--find-file-h ()
   "Opens the newly created template file.
@@ -339,7 +338,10 @@ This uses the templates defined at `org-roam-capture-templates'."
                                         (cons 'file file-path)))
           (org-roam-capture--context 'capture))
       (setq org-roam-capture-additional-template-props (list :capture-fn 'org-roam-capture))
-      (org-roam-capture--capture))))
+      (condition-case err
+          (org-roam-capture--capture)
+        (error (user-error "%s.  Please adjust `org-roam-capture-templates'"
+                           (error-message-string err)))))))
 
 (provide 'org-roam-capture)
 
diff --git a/org-roam-dailies.el b/org-roam-dailies.el
index af2e34c..0e92bb1 100644
--- a/org-roam-dailies.el
+++ b/org-roam-dailies.el
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 ;;; Library Requires
 (require 'org-capture)
 (require 'org-roam-capture)
+(require 'org-roam-macs)
 
 (defvar org-roam-dailies-capture-templates
   '(("d" "daily" plain (function org-roam-capture--get-point)
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@
         (org-roam-capture--info (list (cons 'time time)))
         (org-roam-capture--context 'dailies))
     (add-hook 'org-capture-after-finalize-hook #'org-roam-capture--find-file-h)
-    (org-roam-capture--capture)))
+    (org-roam--with-template-error 'org-roam-dailies-capture-templates
+      (org-roam-capture--capture))))
 
 (defun org-roam-dailies-today ()
   "Create and find the daily note for today."
diff --git a/org-roam-macs.el b/org-roam-macs.el
index 8f2a1a9..be0a67a 100644
--- a/org-roam-macs.el
+++ b/org-roam-macs.el
@@ -43,6 +43,21 @@ Like `with-temp-buffer', but propagates `org-roam-directory'."
          (let ((org-roam-directory ,current-org-roam-directory))
            ,@body)))))
 
+(defmacro org-roam--with-template-error (templates &rest body)
+  "Eval BODY, and point to TEMPLATES on error.
+Provides more informative error messages so that users know where
+to look.
+
+\(fn TEMPLATES BODY...)"
+  (declare (debug (form body)) (indent 1))
+  `(condition-case err
+       ,@body
+     (error (user-error "%s.  Please adjust `%s'"
+                        (error-message-string err)
+                        ,templates))))
+
+
+
 (provide 'org-roam-macs)
 
 ;;; org-roam-macs.el ends here
diff --git a/org-roam-protocol.el b/org-roam-protocol.el
index 9ab14e8..d92494f 100644
--- a/org-roam-protocol.el
+++ b/org-roam-protocol.el
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ It opens or creates a note with the given ref.
            (org-roam-capture--info decoded-alist)
            (template (cdr (assoc 'template decoded-alist))))
       (raise-frame)
-      (org-roam-capture--capture nil template)
+      (org-roam--with-template-error 'org-roam-capture-ref-templates
+        (org-roam-capture--capture nil template))
       (message "Item captured.")))
   nil)
 
diff --git a/org-roam.el b/org-roam.el
index 7131c89..1478416 100644
--- a/org-roam.el
+++ b/org-roam.el
@@ -501,7 +501,8 @@ which takes as its argument an alist of path-completions.  See
         (setq org-roam-capture-additional-template-props (list :region region
                                                                :link-description link-description
                                                                :capture-fn 'org-roam-insert))
-        (org-roam-capture--capture)))))
+        (org-roam--with-template-error 'org-roam-capture-templates
+          (org-roam-capture--capture))))))
 
 (defun org-roam--get-title-path-completions ()
   "Return a list of cons pairs for titles to absolute path of Org-roam files."
@@ -539,7 +540,8 @@ which takes as its argument an alist of path-completions.  See
                                             (cons 'slug (org-roam--title-to-slug title))))
               (org-roam-capture--context 'title))
           (add-hook 'org-capture-after-finalize-hook #'org-roam-capture--find-file-h)
-          (org-roam-capture--capture))))))
+          (org-roam--with-template-error 'org-roam-capture-templates
+            (org-roam-capture--capture)))))))
 
 (defun org-roam-find-directory ()
   "Find and open `org-roam-directory'."