diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/FunctionRegistry.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/FunctionRegistry.scala
index 35fd800df4a4f..73884d7a09c21 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/FunctionRegistry.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/FunctionRegistry.scala
@@ -445,7 +445,10 @@ object FunctionRegistry {
         // If there is an apply method that accepts Seq[Expression], use that one.
         Try(varargCtor.get.newInstance(expressions).asInstanceOf[Expression]) match {
           case Success(e) => e
-          case Failure(e) => throw new AnalysisException(e.getMessage)
+          case Failure(e) =>
+            // the exception is an invocation exception. To get a meaningful message, we need the
+            // cause.
+            throw new AnalysisException(e.getCause.getMessage)
         }
       } else {
         // Otherwise, find a constructor method that matches the number of arguments, and use that.
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/string-functions.sql b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/string-functions.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..21a0aa66c098a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/inputs/string-functions.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+-- Argument number exception
+select concat_ws();
+select format_string();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/string-functions.sql.out b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/string-functions.sql.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6961e9b65922f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/resources/sql-tests/results/string-functions.sql.out
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+-- Automatically generated by SQLQueryTestSuite
+-- Number of queries: 2
+
+
+-- !query 0
+select concat_ws()
+-- !query 0 schema
+struct<>
+-- !query 0 output
+org.apache.spark.sql.AnalysisException
+requirement failed: concat_ws requires at least one argument.; line 1 pos 7
+
+
+-- !query 1
+select format_string()
+-- !query 1 schema
+struct<>
+-- !query 1 output
+org.apache.spark.sql.AnalysisException
+requirement failed: format_string() should take at least 1 argument; line 1 pos 7