diff --git a/controllers/nnf_workflow_controller.go b/controllers/nnf_workflow_controller.go
index 41b6586f6..66475a0b8 100644
--- a/controllers/nnf_workflow_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/nnf_workflow_controller.go
@@ -759,10 +759,13 @@ func (r *NnfWorkflowReconciler) finishDataInOutState(ctx context.Context, workfl
 	}
 
 	// Check results of data movement operations
-	// TODO: Detailed Fail Message?
 	for _, dm := range dataMovementList.Items {
 		if dm.Status.Status != nnfv1alpha1.DataMovementConditionReasonSuccess {
-			handleWorkflowErrorByIndex(dwsv1alpha2.NewResourceError("").WithUserMessage("data movement operation failed").WithFatal(), workflow, index)
+			// include the whole output for debugMsg; instruct user to look at the nnfdatamovement resource
+			debugMsg := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", dm.Status.Error.DebugMessage, dm.Status.Error.UserMessage)
+			userMsg := fmt.Sprintf("data movement operation failed: see %s/%s resource in the '%s' namespace for error details",
+				dm.Kind, dm.Name, dm.Namespace)
+			handleWorkflowErrorByIndex(dwsv1alpha2.NewResourceError(debugMsg).WithUserMessage(userMsg).WithFatal(), workflow, index)
 			return Requeue("error").withObject(&dm), nil
 		}
 	}