diff --git a/rest_framework/decorators.py b/rest_framework/decorators.py
index da97f0388..a69a613ba 100644
--- a/rest_framework/decorators.py
+++ b/rest_framework/decorators.py
@@ -94,13 +94,13 @@ def _check_decorator_order(func, decorator_name):
     # Check if func is actually a view function (result of APIView.as_view())
     if hasattr(func, 'cls') and issubclass(func.cls, APIView):
         raise TypeError(
-            f"@{decorator_name} must be applied before @api_view. "
-            f"The correct order is:\n\n"
-            f"    @api_view(['GET'])\n"
+            f"@{decorator_name} must come after (below) the @api_view decorator. "
+            "The correct order is:\n\n"
+            "    @api_view(['GET'])\n"
             f"    @{decorator_name}(...)\n"
-            f"    def my_view(request):\n"
-            f"        ...\n\n"
-            f"See https://www.django-rest-framework.org/api-guide/views/#api-policy-decorators"
+            "    def my_view(request):\n"
+            "        ...\n\n"
+            "See https://www.django-rest-framework.org/api-guide/views/#api-policy-decorators"
         )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_decorators.py b/tests/test_decorators.py
index 81d34fac4..cc7cab4d7 100644
--- a/tests/test_decorators.py
+++ b/tests/test_decorators.py
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@permission_classes must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@permission_classes must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_renderer_classes(self):
         """
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@renderer_classes must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@renderer_classes must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_parser_classes(self):
         """
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@parser_classes must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@parser_classes must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_authentication_classes(self):
         """
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@authentication_classes must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@authentication_classes must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_throttle_classes(self):
         """
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@throttle_classes must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@throttle_classes must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_versioning_class(self):
         """
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@versioning_class must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@versioning_class must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_metadata_class(self):
         """
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@metadata_class must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@metadata_class must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_content_negotiation_class(self):
         """
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@content_negotiation_class must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@content_negotiation_class must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
     def test_incorrect_decorator_order_schema(self):
         """
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ class DecoratorTestCase(TestCase):
             def view(request):
                 return Response({})
 
-        assert '@schema must be applied before @api_view' in str(cm.exception)
+        assert '@schema must come after (below) the @api_view decorator' in str(cm.exception)
 
 
 class ActionDecoratorTestCase(TestCase):