diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ae8e379..f49c560 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "lambda-essentials-ts",
-  "version": "6.0.0",
+  "version": "6.1.0",
   "description": "A selection of the finest modules supporting authorization, API routing, error handling, logging and sending HTTP requests.",
   "main": "lib/index.js",
   "private": false,
diff --git a/src/exceptions/clientException.ts b/src/exceptions/clientException.ts
index 37f4ab1..4422ac0 100644
--- a/src/exceptions/clientException.ts
+++ b/src/exceptions/clientException.ts
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ export class ClientException extends Exception {
     serviceName: string,
     originalStatusCode?: number,
     details?: any,
+    originalMessage?: string,
     statusCodeMapOverride?: Record<number, number>,
   ) {
     super(
-      `Dependent service "${serviceName}" returned error`,
+      `Dependent service "${serviceName}" returned error: ${originalMessage ?? 'Unknown error'}`,
       ClientException.convertStatusCode(originalStatusCode, statusCodeMapOverride),
       details,
     );
diff --git a/src/httpClient/httpClient.ts b/src/httpClient/httpClient.ts
index dbf0538..ef49c06 100644
--- a/src/httpClient/httpClient.ts
+++ b/src/httpClient/httpClient.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ export default class HttpClient {
           hostname,
           serializedAxiosError?.status,
           serializedAxiosError?.details,
+          serializedAxiosError?.message,
           this.clientExceptionStatusCodeMapOverride,
         );
       },
@@ -187,6 +188,7 @@ export default class HttpClient {
           hostname,
           serializedAxiosError?.status,
           serializedAxiosError?.details,
+          serializedAxiosError?.message,
           this.clientExceptionStatusCodeMapOverride,
         );
       },
diff --git a/src/util.ts b/src/util.ts
index 0e4dc68..0913783 100644
--- a/src/util.ts
+++ b/src/util.ts
@@ -51,10 +51,12 @@ export function serializeAxiosError(error: AxiosError): SerializedAxiosError | u
   return {
     status: data.originalStatusCode ?? status, // Propagate original status code of ClientException
     details: data.details && Object.keys(data.details).length > 0 ? data.details : data, // Prevent wrapping of Exception
+    message: data.message,
   };
 }
 
 export interface SerializedAxiosError {
   status: number;
   details: any;
+  message?: string;
 }
diff --git a/tests/exceptions/clientException.test.ts b/tests/exceptions/clientException.test.ts
index eebae98..c23e75b 100644
--- a/tests/exceptions/clientException.test.ts
+++ b/tests/exceptions/clientException.test.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ describe('ClientException', () => {
         const clientException = new ClientException(testServiceName, axiosError.status, axiosError);
 
         expect(clientException.message).toEqual(
-          `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error`,
+          `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error: Unknown error`,
         );
         expect(clientException.originalStatusCode).toEqual(originalStatusCode);
         expect(clientException.statusCode).toEqual(exceptionStatusCode);
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ describe('ClientException', () => {
       const axiosError: SerializedAxiosError = {
         status: originalStatusCode,
         details: [],
+        message: 'test-message',
       };
       const clientExceptionStatusCodeMapOverride = {
         403: 503,
@@ -70,11 +71,12 @@ describe('ClientException', () => {
         testServiceName,
         axiosError.status,
         axiosError,
+        axiosError.message,
         clientExceptionStatusCodeMapOverride,
       );
 
       expect(clientException.message).toEqual(
-        `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error`,
+        `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error: test-message`,
       );
       expect(clientException.originalStatusCode).toEqual(originalStatusCode);
       expect(clientException.statusCode).toEqual(expectedStatusCode);
diff --git a/tests/openApi/openApi.test.ts b/tests/openApi/openApi.test.ts
index 5a3c00a..9adae93 100644
--- a/tests/openApi/openApi.test.ts
+++ b/tests/openApi/openApi.test.ts
@@ -220,11 +220,16 @@ describe('Open API Wrapper', () => {
 
     test('returns 500 and logs INFO with details when ClientException exception is caught', async () => {
       const testServiceName = 'test-service-name';
-      const exception = new ClientException(testServiceName, 409, { more: 'details' });
+      const exception = new ClientException(
+        testServiceName,
+        409,
+        { more: 'details' },
+        'test-message',
+      );
       const expected: Partial<ApiResponse> = {
         body: {
           details: exception.details,
-          title: `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error`,
+          title: `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error: test-message`,
         },
         statusCode: 503,
         headers: {
@@ -245,7 +250,7 @@ describe('Open API Wrapper', () => {
         title: 'ErrorLogger',
         details: exception.details,
         statusCode: 503,
-        message: `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error`,
+        message: `Dependent service "${testServiceName}" returned error: test-message`,
         originalStatusCode: 409,
         serviceName: testServiceName,
         stack: expect.any(String),