diff --git a/salt/client/ssh/wrapper/__init__.py b/salt/client/ssh/wrapper/__init__.py
index 0c6bc32d3849..bb60f58cd1ac 100644
--- a/salt/client/ssh/wrapper/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/client/ssh/wrapper/__init__.py
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ def to_ret(self):
 
     def __str__(self):
         ret = self.to_ret()
-        if isinstance(ret, str):
-            return f"{self._error}: {ret}"
+        if self.retcode > 0:
+            return f"{self._error}: {self.stderr or self.stdout}"
         return self._error
 
 
diff --git a/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/state/test_retcode_state_run_remote_exception.py b/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/state/test_retcode_state_run_remote_exception.py
index 60621a2ffe0d..fe9611939d32 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/state/test_retcode_state_run_remote_exception.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/state/test_retcode_state_run_remote_exception.py
@@ -87,5 +87,5 @@ def test_it(salt_ssh_cli, args):
 
     assert ret.returncode == EX_AGGREGATE
     assert ret.data
-    assert isinstance(ret.data, str)
-    assert "ComplianceError: 'Outlaw detected'" in ret.data
+    assert isinstance(ret.data, dict)
+    assert "ComplianceError: 'Outlaw detected'" in ret.data["stderr"]
diff --git a/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/test_deploy.py b/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/test_deploy.py
index 74d8c8862a7b..157666c3708c 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/test_deploy.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/integration/ssh/test_deploy.py
@@ -220,10 +220,10 @@ def test_retcode_exe_run_fail(salt_ssh_cli):
     """
     ret = salt_ssh_cli.run("file.touch", "/tmp/non/ex/is/tent")
     assert ret.returncode == EX_AGGREGATE
-    assert isinstance(ret.data, str)
+    assert isinstance(ret.data, dict)
     # This should be the exact output, but some other warnings
     # might be printed to stderr.
-    assert "Error running 'file.touch': No such file or directory" in ret.data
+    assert "Error running 'file.touch': No such file or directory" in ret.data["stderr"]
 
 
 def test_retcode_exe_run_exception(salt_ssh_cli):
@@ -233,8 +233,8 @@ def test_retcode_exe_run_exception(salt_ssh_cli):
     """
     ret = salt_ssh_cli.run("salttest.jinja_error")
     assert ret.returncode == EX_AGGREGATE
-    assert isinstance(ret.data, str)
-    assert ret.data.endswith("Exception: hehehe")
+    assert isinstance(ret.data, dict)
+    assert ret.data["stderr"].endswith("Exception: hehehe")
 
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("invalid_json_exe_mod")
@@ -276,10 +276,13 @@ def test_wrapper_unwrapped_command_exception(salt_ssh_cli):
     """
     ret = salt_ssh_cli.run("check_exception.failure")
     assert ret.returncode == EX_AGGREGATE
-    assert isinstance(ret.data, str)
+    assert isinstance(ret.data, dict)
     assert ret.data
-    assert "Probably got garbage" not in ret.data
-    assert "Error running 'disk.usage': Invalid flag passed to disk.usage" in ret.data
+    assert "Probably got garbage" not in ret.data["stderr"]
+    assert (
+        "Error running 'disk.usage': Invalid flag passed to disk.usage"
+        in ret.data["stderr"]
+    )
 
 
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("remote_parsing_failure_wrap_mod", "invalid_json_exe_mod")
@@ -290,7 +293,7 @@ def test_wrapper_unwrapped_command_parsing_failure(salt_ssh_cli):
     ret = salt_ssh_cli.run("check_parsing.failure", "whoops")
     assert ret.returncode == EX_AGGREGATE
     assert ret.data
-    assert "Probably got garbage" not in ret.data
+    assert "Probably got garbage" not in ret.data["stderr"]
     assert isinstance(ret.data, dict)
     assert ret.data["_error"] == "Failed to return clean data"
     assert ret.data["retcode"] == 0