diff --git a/crates/agent/src/rpc/control.rs b/crates/agent/src/rpc/control.rs
index 285a7a1c..85cd181f 100644
--- a/crates/agent/src/rpc/control.rs
+++ b/crates/agent/src/rpc/control.rs
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ impl AgentService for AgentRpcServer {
             .state
             .get_env_info(env_id)
             .await
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)?
+            .map_err(|e| AgentError::FailedToGetEnvInfo(e.to_string()))?
             .network;
 
         let url = format!(
@@ -186,26 +186,31 @@ impl AgentService for AgentRpcServer {
             self.state.cli.ports.rest
         );
         let response = reqwest::Client::new()
-            .post(url)
+            .post(&url)
             .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
             .body(tx)
             .send()
             .await
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)?;
+            .map_err(|e| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!("{url}: {e:?}")))?;
         let status = response.status();
         if status.is_success() {
-            Ok(())
+            return Ok(());
             // transaction already exists so this is technically a success
-        } else if status.is_server_error()
-            && response
-                .text()
-                .await
-                .ok()
+        }
+
+        let text = response.text().await.ok();
+
+        if status.is_server_error()
+            && text
+                .as_ref()
                 .is_some_and(|text| text.contains("exists in the ledger"))
         {
-            return Ok(());
+            Ok(())
         } else {
-            Err(AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)
+            Err(AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!(
+                "{url}: {status:?} {}",
+                text.unwrap_or_else(|| "no error message".to_string())
+            )))
         }
     }
 
@@ -329,7 +334,7 @@ impl AgentService for AgentRpcServer {
             .ok_or(AgentError::NodeClientNotSet)?
             .get_block_lite(ctx, block_hash)
             .await
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)?
+            .map_err(|e| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!("block info: {e:?}")))?
     }
 
     async fn find_transaction(
@@ -343,7 +348,7 @@ impl AgentService for AgentRpcServer {
             .ok_or(AgentError::NodeClientNotSet)?
             .find_transaction(context, tx_id)
             .await
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)?
+            .map_err(|e| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!("find tx: {e:?}")))?
     }
 
     async fn get_status(self, ctx: Context) -> Result<AgentStatus, AgentError> {
diff --git a/crates/aot/src/runner/rpc/node.rs b/crates/aot/src/runner/rpc/node.rs
index 924c8653..451705ee 100644
--- a/crates/aot/src/runner/rpc/node.rs
+++ b/crates/aot/src/runner/rpc/node.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@ impl<N: Network> NodeService for NodeRpcServer<N> {
 
         block_db
             .find_block_hash(&tx_id)
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)
+            .map_err(|e| {
+                AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!("block hash for tx {tx_id}: {e:?}"))
+            })
             .map(|hash| hash.map(|hash| hash.to_string()))
     }
 
@@ -80,9 +82,9 @@ impl<N: Network> NodeService for NodeRpcServer<N> {
             .parse()
             .map_err(|_| AgentError::InvalidBlockHash)?;
 
-        let Some(height) = block_db
-            .get_block_height(&hash)
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)?
+        let Some(height) = block_db.get_block_height(&hash).map_err(|e| {
+            AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!("block height for hash {hash}: {e:?}"))
+        })?
         else {
             return Ok(None);
         };
@@ -91,9 +93,9 @@ impl<N: Network> NodeService for NodeRpcServer<N> {
             return Ok(None);
         };
 
-        let Some(transactions) = block_db
-            .get_block_transactions(&hash)
-            .map_err(|_| AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest)?
+        let Some(transactions) = block_db.get_block_transactions(&hash).map_err(|e| {
+            AgentError::FailedToMakeRequest(format!("transactions for height {height}: {e:?}"))
+        })?
         else {
             return Ok(None);
         };
diff --git a/crates/common/src/rpc/error.rs b/crates/common/src/rpc/error.rs
index 3a6ecb24..4977c33a 100644
--- a/crates/common/src/rpc/error.rs
+++ b/crates/common/src/rpc/error.rs
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ pub enum AgentError {
     InvalidState,
     #[error("failed to parse json")]
     FailedToParseJson,
-    #[error("failed to make a request")]
-    FailedToMakeRequest,
+    #[error("failed to make a request: {0}")]
+    FailedToMakeRequest(String),
     #[error("failed to get env info: {0}")]
     FailedToGetEnvInfo(String),
     #[error("failed to spawn a process")]
diff --git a/crates/controlplane/src/cannon/context.rs b/crates/controlplane/src/cannon/context.rs
index 13833bc8..33e89014 100644
--- a/crates/controlplane/src/cannon/context.rs
+++ b/crates/controlplane/src/cannon/context.rs
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ impl ExecutionContext {
                     };
 
                     if let Err(e) = client.broadcast_tx(tx_str.clone()).await {
-                        warn!("cannon {env_id}.{cannon_id} failed to broadcast transaction to agent {id}: {e}");
+                        warn!("cannon {env_id}.{cannon_id} failed to broadcast transaction to agent {id}: {e:?}");
                         continue;
                     }
 
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ impl ExecutionContext {
 
                     match res {
                         Err(e) => {
-                            warn!("cannon {env_id}.{cannon_id} failed to broadcast transaction to {addr}: {e}");
+                            warn!("cannon {env_id}.{cannon_id} failed to broadcast transaction to {addr}: {e:?}");
                             continue;
                         }
                         Ok(req) => {
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ impl ExecutionContext {
                                     return Ok(tx_id);
                                 }
 
-                                warn!("cannon {env_id}.{cannon_id} failed to broadcast transaction to {addr}: {}", status);
+                                warn!("cannon {env_id}.{cannon_id} failed to broadcast transaction to {addr}: {status}");
                                 continue;
                             }
                         }