diff --git a/.changeset/happy-fireants-occur.md b/.changeset/happy-fireants-occur.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..40ffcf4c6cf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/happy-fireants-occur.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'astro': patch
+---
+
+Improve error handling when an Astro component is rendered manually
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts
index 0b74ca6752a5..5a2b75cabd2f 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/errors/errors-data.ts
@@ -415,6 +415,20 @@ See https://docs.astro.build/en/guides/server-side-rendering/ for more informati
 		},
 		hint: 'Mutable values declared at runtime are not supported. Please make sure to use exactly `export const prerender = true`.',
 	},
+	/**
+	 * @docs
+	 * @message
+	 * **Example error messages:**<br/>
+	 * InvalidComponentArgs: Invalid arguments passed to <MyAstroComponent> component.
+	 * @description
+	 * Astro components cannot be rendered manually via a function call, such as `Component()` or `{items.map(Component)}`. Prefer the component syntax `<Component />` or `{items.map(item => <Component {...item} />)}`.
+	 */
+	InvalidComponentArgs: {
+		title: 'Invalid component arguments.',
+		code: 3020,
+		message: (name: string) => `Invalid arguments passed to${name ? ` <${name}>` : ''} component.`,
+		hint: 'Astro components cannot be rendered directly via function call, such as `Component()` or `{items.map(Component)}`.',
+	},
 	// Vite Errors - 4xxx
 	UnknownViteError: {
 		title: 'Unknown Vite Error.',
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/astro-component.ts b/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/astro-component.ts
index 933a69a9a67a..975be7054acb 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/astro-component.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/astro-component.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,28 @@
 import type { PropagationHint } from '../../@types/astro';
 import type { AstroComponentFactory } from './render/index.js';
+import { AstroError, AstroErrorData } from '../../core/errors/index.js';
 
-function baseCreateComponent(cb: AstroComponentFactory, moduleId?: string) {
+function validateArgs(args: unknown[]): args is Parameters<AstroComponentFactory> {
+	if (args.length !== 3) return false;
+	if (!args[0] ||typeof args[0] !== 'object') return false;
+	return true;
+}
+function baseCreateComponent(cb: AstroComponentFactory, moduleId?: string): AstroComponentFactory {
+	const name = moduleId?.split('/').pop()?.replace('.astro', '') ?? ''
+	const fn = (...args: Parameters<AstroComponentFactory>) => {
+		if (!validateArgs(args)) {
+			throw new AstroError({
+				...AstroErrorData.InvalidComponentArgs,
+				message: AstroErrorData.InvalidComponentArgs.message(name),
+			});
+		}
+		return cb(...args);
+	}
+	Object.defineProperty(fn, 'name', { value: name, writable: false });
 	// Add a flag to this callback to mark it as an Astro component
-	cb.isAstroComponentFactory = true;
-	cb.moduleId = moduleId;
-	return cb;
+	fn.isAstroComponentFactory = true;
+	fn.moduleId = moduleId;
+	return fn;
 }
 
 interface CreateComponentOptions {