diff --git a/changes/issue-3124-better-empty-states-for-host-details b/changes/issue-3124-better-empty-states-for-host-details
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a255e99439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/issue-3124-better-empty-states-for-host-details
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+* Improve empty state messages on host details page
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/HostDetailsPage.tsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/HostDetailsPage.tsx
index 91eabc52de..e06c2a3387 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/HostDetailsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/HostDetailsPage.tsx
@@ -9,12 +9,14 @@ import classnames from "classnames";
 import { pick } from "lodash";
 
 import PATHS from "router/paths";
+import configAPI from "services/entities/config";
 import hostAPI from "services/entities/hosts";
 import queryAPI from "services/entities/queries";
 import teamAPI from "services/entities/teams";
 import { AppContext } from "context/app";
 import { PolicyContext } from "context/policy";
 import { NotificationContext } from "context/notification";
+import { IConfig } from "interfaces/config";
 import {
   IHost,
   IDeviceMappingResponse,
@@ -204,6 +206,14 @@ const HostDetailsPage = ({
     }
   );
 
+  const { data: hostSettings } = useQuery<
+    IConfig,
+    Error,
+    { enable_host_users: boolean; enable_software_inventory: boolean }
+  >(["config"], () => configAPI.loadAll(), {
+    select: (data: IConfig) => data.host_settings,
+  });
+
   const refetchExtensions = () => {
     deviceMapping !== null && refetchDeviceMapping();
     macadmins !== null && refetchMacadmins();
@@ -582,10 +592,15 @@ const HostDetailsPage = ({
               usersState={usersState}
               isLoading={isLoadingHost}
               onUsersTableSearchChange={onUsersTableSearchChange}
+              hostUsersEnabled={hostSettings?.enable_host_users}
             />
           </TabPanel>
           <TabPanel>
-            <SoftwareCard isLoading={isLoadingHost} software={hostSoftware} />
+            <SoftwareCard
+              isLoading={isLoadingHost}
+              software={hostSoftware}
+              softwareInventoryEnabled={hostSettings?.enable_software_inventory}
+            />
           </TabPanel>
           <TabPanel>
             <ScheduleCard
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/EmptyState.tsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/EmptyState.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5598abe77a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/EmptyState.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+import React from "react";
+
+import ExternalLinkIcon from "../../../../../../assets/images/open-new-tab-12x12@2x.png";
+import DisableIcon from "../../../../../../assets/images/icon-action-disable-red-16x16@2x.png";
+
+const baseClass = "empty-state";
+
+interface IEmptyStateProps {
+  title: "software" | "users";
+  reason?: "empty-search" | "disabled";
+}
+
+const EmptyState = ({ title, reason }: IEmptyStateProps): JSX.Element => {
+  const formalTitle = () => {
+    switch (title) {
+      case "software":
+        return "Software inventory";
+      case "users":
+        return "User collection";
+      default:
+        return "Data collection";
+    }
+  };
+
+  switch (reason) {
+    case "empty-search":
+      return (
+        <div className={`${baseClass} empty-${title} empty-search`}>
+          <div className={`${baseClass}__inner`}>
+            <div className={`${baseClass}__empty-filter-results`}>
+              <h1>No {title} matched your search criteria.</h1>
+              <p>Try a different search.</p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      );
+    case "disabled":
+      return (
+        <div className={`${baseClass} empty-${title}`}>
+          <div className={`${baseClass}__inner`}>
+            <div className={`${baseClass}__disabled`}>
+              <h1>{formalTitle()} has been disabled.</h1>
+              <p>
+                Check out the Fleet documentation for{" "}
+                <a
+                  href="https://fleetdm.com/docs/using-fleet/configuration-files#host-settings"
+                  target="_blank"
+                  rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                >
+                  steps to enable this feature
+                  <img alt="External link" src={ExternalLinkIcon} />
+                </a>
+              </p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      );
+    default:
+      return (
+        <div className={`${baseClass} empty-${title}`}>
+          <div className={`${baseClass}__inner`}>
+            <div className={`${baseClass}__empty-list`}>
+              <h1>
+                <img alt="Disable icon" src={DisableIcon} />
+                No {title} collected from this host.
+              </h1>
+              <p>
+                Check out the Fleet documentation on{" "}
+                <a
+                  href="https://fleetdm.com/docs/using-fleet/faq#why-is-my-host-not-returning-vitals"
+                  target="_blank"
+                  rel="noopener noreferrer"
+                >
+                  how to troubleshoot{" "}
+                  <img alt="External link" src={ExternalLinkIcon} />
+                </a>
+              </p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      );
+  }
+};
+
+export default EmptyState;
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/_styles.scss b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/_styles.scss
similarity index 79%
rename from frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/_styles.scss
rename to frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/_styles.scss
index c712a62cb9..983741d53e 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/_styles.scss
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/_styles.scss
@@ -1,23 +1,22 @@
-.empty-users {
+.empty-state {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
-  align-items: center;
-  margin-top: 80px;
-  margin-bottom: 80px;
+  align-items: flex-start;
+  margin: 0;
 
   &__inner {
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: row;
 
     h1 {
-      font-size: $small;
+      font-size: $x-small;
       font-weight: $bold;
       margin-bottom: $pad-medium;
     }
 
     img {
       width: 176px;
-      margin-right: 34px;
+      margin-right: $pad-small;
     }
 
     p {
@@ -36,13 +35,12 @@
       font-size: $x-small;
       font-weight: $bold;
       text-decoration: none;
-      margin-left: $pad-xsmall;
     }
 
     img {
       width: 12px;
       height: 12px;
-      margin-left: 6px;
+      margin-left: 4px;
     }
   }
 
@@ -52,3 +50,8 @@
     width: 350px;
   }
 }
+
+.empty-search {
+  margin-top: $pad-small;
+  align-items: center;
+}
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/index.ts b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..af43732fb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/EmptyState/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export { default } from "./EmptyState";
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/EmptySoftware.tsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/EmptySoftware.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index fe2d86c926..0000000000
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/EmptySoftware.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-import React from "react";
-
-const baseClass = "empty-software";
-
-const EmptySoftware = (): JSX.Element => {
-  return (
-    <div className={`${baseClass}`}>
-      <div className={`${baseClass}__inner`}>
-        <div className={`${baseClass}__empty-filter-results`}>
-          <h1>No software matched your search criteria.</h1>
-          <p>Try a different search.</p>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  );
-};
-
-export default EmptySoftware;
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/_styles.scss b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/_styles.scss
deleted file mode 100644
index c8cdef584c..0000000000
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/_styles.scss
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-.empty-software {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  align-items: center;
-  margin-top: $pad-xxxlarge;
-  margin-bottom: $pad-xxxlarge;
-
-  &__inner {
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: row;
-
-    h1 {
-      font-size: $small;
-      font-weight: $bold;
-      margin-bottom: $pad-medium;
-    }
-
-    img {
-      width: 176px;
-      margin-right: 34px;
-    }
-
-    p {
-      color: $core-fleet-black;
-      font-weight: $regular;
-      font-size: $x-small;
-      margin: 0;
-    }
-
-    p.learn-more {
-      margin-top: $pad-medium;
-    }
-
-    a {
-      color: $core-vibrant-blue;
-      font-size: $x-small;
-      font-weight: $bold;
-      text-decoration: none;
-      margin-left: $pad-xsmall;
-    }
-
-    img {
-      width: 12px;
-      height: 12px;
-      margin-left: 6px;
-    }
-  }
-
-  &__empty-filter-results {
-    display: flex;
-    flex-direction: column;
-    width: 350px;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/index.ts b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/index.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 441d2e042c..0000000000
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/EmptySoftware/index.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-export { default } from "./EmptySoftware";
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/Software.tsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/Software.tsx
index b7ba8d282d..233e0161c6 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/Software.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Software/Software.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { VULNERABLE_DROPDOWN_OPTIONS } from "utilities/constants";
 import Dropdown from "components/forms/fields/Dropdown";
 import TableContainer from "components/TableContainer";
 
-import EmptySoftware from "./EmptySoftware";
+import EmptyState from "../EmptyState";
 import SoftwareVulnCount from "./SoftwareVulnCount";
 
 import generateSoftwareTableHeaders from "./SoftwareTableConfig";
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@ interface ISoftwareTableProps {
   isLoading: boolean;
   software: ISoftware[];
   deviceUser?: boolean;
+  softwareInventoryEnabled?: boolean;
 }
 
 const SoftwareTable = ({
   isLoading,
   software,
   deviceUser,
+  softwareInventoryEnabled,
 }: ISoftwareTableProps): JSX.Element => {
   const tableSoftware: ITableSoftware[] = software.map((s) => {
     return {
@@ -76,6 +78,19 @@ const SoftwareTable = ({
 
   const tableHeaders = generateSoftwareTableHeaders(deviceUser);
 
+  const EmptySoftwareSearch = () => (
+    <EmptyState title="software" reason="empty-search" />
+  );
+
+  if (!softwareInventoryEnabled) {
+    return (
+      <div className="section section--software">
+        <p className="section__header">Software</p>
+        <EmptyState title="software" reason="disabled" />
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="section section--software">
       <p className="section__header">Software</p>
@@ -101,7 +116,7 @@ const SoftwareTable = ({
               }
               onQueryChange={onQueryChange}
               resultsTitle={"software items"}
-              emptyComponent={EmptySoftware}
+              emptyComponent={EmptySoftwareSearch}
               showMarkAllPages={false}
               isAllPagesSelected={false}
               searchable
@@ -113,15 +128,7 @@ const SoftwareTable = ({
           )}
         </>
       ) : (
-        <div className="results">
-          <p className="results__header">
-            No installed software detected on this host.
-          </p>
-          <p className="results__data">
-            Expecting to see software? Try again in a few seconds as the system
-            catches up.
-          </p>
-        </div>
+        <EmptyState title="software" />
       )}
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/EmptyUsers.tsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/EmptyUsers.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index d1a05d9f7f..0000000000
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/EmptyUsers.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-import React from "react";
-
-const baseClass = "empty-users";
-
-const EmptyUsers = (): JSX.Element => {
-  return (
-    <div className={`${baseClass}`}>
-      <div className={`${baseClass}__inner`}>
-        <div className={`${baseClass}__empty-filter-results`}>
-          <h1>No users matched your search criteria.</h1>
-          <p>Try a different search.</p>
-        </div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  );
-};
-
-export default EmptyUsers;
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/index.ts b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/index.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 28df7b7cca..0000000000
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/EmptyUsers/index.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-export { default } from "./EmptyUsers";
diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/Users.tsx b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/Users.tsx
index c569a1f4e8..cbce0f226a 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/Users.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/cards/Users/Users.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { IHostUser } from "interfaces/host_users";
 import TableContainer from "components/TableContainer";
 
 import generateUsersTableHeaders from "./UsersTable/UsersTableConfig";
-import EmptyUsers from "./EmptyUsers";
+import EmptyState from "../EmptyState";
 
 interface ISearchQueryData {
   searchQuery: string;
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ interface IUsersProps {
   usersState: { username: string }[];
   isLoading: boolean;
   onUsersTableSearchChange: (queryData: ISearchQueryData) => void;
+  hostUsersEnabled?: boolean;
 }
 
 const Users = ({
@@ -26,34 +27,19 @@ const Users = ({
   usersState,
   isLoading,
   onUsersTableSearchChange,
+  hostUsersEnabled,
 }: IUsersProps): JSX.Element => {
   const tableHeaders = generateUsersTableHeaders();
 
-  if (users) {
+  const EmptyUserSearch = () => (
+    <EmptyState title="users" reason="empty-search" />
+  );
+
+  if (!hostUsersEnabled) {
     return (
       <div className="section section--users">
         <p className="section__header">Users</p>
-        {users.length === 0 ? (
-          <p className="results__data">No users were detected on this host.</p>
-        ) : (
-          <TableContainer
-            columns={tableHeaders}
-            data={usersState}
-            isLoading={isLoading}
-            defaultSortHeader={"username"}
-            defaultSortDirection={"asc"}
-            inputPlaceHolder={"Search users by username"}
-            onQueryChange={onUsersTableSearchChange}
-            resultsTitle={"users"}
-            emptyComponent={EmptyUsers}
-            showMarkAllPages={false}
-            isAllPagesSelected={false}
-            searchable
-            wideSearch
-            filteredCount={usersState.length}
-            isClientSidePagination
-          />
-        )}
+        <EmptyState title="users" reason="disabled" />
       </div>
     );
   }
@@ -61,7 +47,27 @@ const Users = ({
   return (
     <div className="section section--users">
       <p className="section__header">Users</p>
-      <p className="results__data">No users were detected on this host.</p>
+      {users?.length ? (
+        <TableContainer
+          columns={tableHeaders}
+          data={usersState}
+          isLoading={isLoading}
+          defaultSortHeader={"username"}
+          defaultSortDirection={"asc"}
+          inputPlaceHolder={"Search users by username"}
+          onQueryChange={onUsersTableSearchChange}
+          resultsTitle={"users"}
+          emptyComponent={EmptyUserSearch}
+          showMarkAllPages={false}
+          isAllPagesSelected={false}
+          searchable
+          wideSearch
+          filteredCount={usersState.length}
+          isClientSidePagination
+        />
+      ) : (
+        <EmptyState title="users" />
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 };