diff --git a/app/main/views/templates.py b/app/main/views/templates.py
index 599ce7c07..1cee80c79 100644
--- a/app/main/views/templates.py
+++ b/app/main/views/templates.py
@@ -707,6 +707,12 @@ def _get_content_count_error_and_message_for_template(template):
                 f"too many"
             )
 
+        if template.placeholders:
+            return False, Markup(
+                f"Will be charged as {message_count(template.fragment_count, template.template_type)} "
+                f"(not including personalization). {warning}"
+            )
+
         # If there's a warning, return it alone and hide the "Will be charged as..." text
         if warning:
             return False, Markup(warning)
diff --git a/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py b/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py
index f2998383e..b057580ab 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/views/test_templates.py
@@ -2060,7 +2060,7 @@ def test_set_template_sender(
             "sms",
             False,
             "Hello ((name))",
-            "Will be charged as 1 text message.",
+            "Will be charged as 1 text message (not including personalization).",
             None,
         ),
         (
@@ -2068,7 +2068,7 @@ def test_set_template_sender(
             "sms",
             False,
             f'Hello (( {"a" * 999} ))',
-            "Will be charged as 1 text message.",
+            "Will be charged as 1 text message (not including personalization).",
             None,
         ),
     ],