diff --git a/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts b/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts
index 7e4b1d9089e..d70e22ed975 100644
--- a/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/manage-dashboards/utils/validation.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ export const validateUid = (value: string) => {
     })
     .catch((error) => {
       error.isHandled = true;
+
+      // when Editor user tries to import admin only dashboard (with same uid) he gets an unhelpful 403 error
+      //  therefore handling this use case to return some indication of whats wrong
+      if (error.status === 403) {
+        return 'Dashboard with the same UID already exists';
+      }
       return true;
     });
 };