diff --git a/src/lib/app-helper.js b/src/lib/app-helper.js
index 1fabf0ca..a323c2c6 100644
--- a/src/lib/app-helper.js
+++ b/src/lib/app-helper.js
@@ -314,24 +314,26 @@ async function downloadOWJar (url, outFile) {
 }
 
 /** @private */
-async function waitForOpenWhiskReadiness (host, endTime, period, timeout, waitFunc) {
+async function waitForOpenWhiskReadiness (host, endTime, period, timeout, lastStatus, waitFunc) {
   if (Date.now() > endTime) {
-    throw new Error(`local openwhisk stack startup timed out: ${timeout}ms`)
+    throw new Error(`local openwhisk stack startup timed out after ${timeout}ms due to ${lastStatus}`)
   }
 
-  let ok
+  let ok, status
 
   try {
     const fetch = createFetch()
     const response = await fetch(host + '/api/v1')
     ok = response.ok
+    status = response.statusText
   } catch (e) {
     ok = false
+    status = e.toString()
   }
 
   if (!ok) {
     await waitFunc(period)
-    return waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(host, endTime, period, timeout, waitFunc)
+    return waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(host, endTime, period, timeout, status, waitFunc)
   }
 }
 
@@ -349,7 +351,7 @@ async function runOpenWhiskJar (jarFile, runtimeConfigFile, apihost, waitInitTim
 
   const endTime = Date.now() + timeout
   await waitFor(waitInitTime)
-  await waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(apihost, endTime, waitPeriodTime, timeout, waitFor)
+  await waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(apihost, endTime, waitPeriodTime, timeout, null, waitFor)
 
   // must wrap in an object as execa return value is awaitable
   return { proc }
diff --git a/test/commands/lib/app-helper.test.js b/test/commands/lib/app-helper.test.js
index c424b7f2..cfc59a99 100644
--- a/test/commands/lib/app-helper.test.js
+++ b/test/commands/lib/app-helper.test.js
@@ -531,13 +531,14 @@ test('waitForOpenWhiskReadiness timeout', async () => {
   const period = 5000
   const timeout = 5000
   const endTime = Date.now() - 1000 // ends now
+  const status = 'FAIL'
 
   const waitFunc = jest.fn((_period) => {
     expect(_period).toEqual(period)
   })
-  const result = appHelper.waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(host, endTime, period, timeout, waitFunc)
+  const result = appHelper.waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(host, endTime, period, timeout, status, waitFunc)
 
-  await expect(result).rejects.toEqual(new Error(`local openwhisk stack startup timed out: ${timeout}ms`))
+  await expect(result).rejects.toEqual(new Error(`local openwhisk stack startup timed out after ${timeout}ms due to ${status}`))
   expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0)
   expect(waitFunc).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0)
 })
@@ -547,6 +548,7 @@ test('waitForOpenWhiskReadiness (fail, retry, then success)', async () => {
   const period = 5000
   const timeout = 5000
   const endTime = Date.now() + 5000
+  const status = null
 
   const waitFunc = jest.fn((_period) => {
     expect(_period).toEqual(period)
@@ -555,7 +557,7 @@ test('waitForOpenWhiskReadiness (fail, retry, then success)', async () => {
     .mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error('some error')) // first fail (fetch exception)
     .mockRejectedValueOnce({ ok: false }) // second fail (response not ok)
     .mockResolvedValue({ ok: true }) // finally success
-  const result = appHelper.waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(host, endTime, period, timeout, waitFunc)
+  const result = appHelper.waitForOpenWhiskReadiness(host, endTime, period, timeout, status, waitFunc)
 
   await expect(result).resolves.not.toBeDefined()
   expect(mockFetch).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)