diff --git a/weaviate/backup/backup.py b/weaviate/backup/backup.py
index 857aee6ee..c5a12d70b 100644
--- a/weaviate/backup/backup.py
+++ b/weaviate/backup/backup.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class BackupStatus(str, Enum):
 class BackupStatusReturn(BaseModel):
     """Return type of the backup status methods."""
 
+    error: Optional[str] = Field(default=None)
     status: BackupStatus
     path: str
 
@@ -139,7 +140,9 @@ def create(
                 if status.status == BackupStatus.SUCCESS:
                     break
                 if status.status == BackupStatus.FAILED:
-                    raise BackupFailedException(f"Backup failed: {create_status}")
+                    raise BackupFailedException(
+                        f"Backup failed: {create_status} with error: {status.error}"
+                    )
                 sleep(1)
         return BackupReturn(**create_status)
 
@@ -249,7 +252,9 @@ def restore(
                 if status.status == BackupStatus.SUCCESS:
                     break
                 if status.status == BackupStatus.FAILED:
-                    raise BackupFailedException(f"Backup restore failed: {restore_status}")
+                    raise BackupFailedException(
+                        f"Backup restore failed: {restore_status} with error: {status.error}"
+                    )
                 sleep(1)
         return BackupReturn(**restore_status)
 
diff --git a/weaviate/collections/backups.py b/weaviate/collections/backups.py
index 85f13cc0e..c3ceec551 100644
--- a/weaviate/collections/backups.py
+++ b/weaviate/collections/backups.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def create(
                 One of the arguments have a wrong type.
         """
         create = self._backup.create(backup_id, backend, [self._name], None, wait_for_completion)
-        return BackupStatusReturn(status=create.status, path=create.path)
+        return BackupStatusReturn(error=create.error, status=create.status, path=create.path)
 
     def restore(
         self, backup_id: str, backend: BackupStorage, wait_for_completion: bool = False
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def restore(
                 If the backup failed.
         """
         restore = self._backup.restore(backup_id, backend, [self._name], None, wait_for_completion)
-        return BackupStatusReturn(status=restore.status, path=restore.path)
+        return BackupStatusReturn(error=restore.error, status=restore.status, path=restore.path)
 
     def get_create_status(self, backup_id: str, backend: BackupStorage) -> BackupStatusReturn:
         """Check if a started backup job has completed.