diff --git a/backend/api/Services/IsarService.cs b/backend/api/Services/IsarService.cs
index b5862e6fa..076be91fb 100644
--- a/backend/api/Services/IsarService.cs
+++ b/backend/api/Services/IsarService.cs
@@ -30,12 +30,21 @@ public async Task<IsarMission> StartMission(Robot robot, MissionRun missionRun)
                 mission_definition = new IsarMissionDefinition(missionRun, includeStartPose: missionRun.MissionRunType == MissionRunType.Localization)
             };
 
-            var response = await CallApi(
-                HttpMethod.Post,
-                robot.IsarUri,
-                "schedule/start-mission",
-                missionDefinition
-            );
+            HttpResponseMessage? response;
+            try
+            {
+                response = await CallApi(
+                    HttpMethod.Post,
+                    robot.IsarUri,
+                    "schedule/start-mission",
+                    missionDefinition
+                );
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                logger.LogError("Encountered an exception when making an API call to ISAR: {Message}", e.Message);
+                throw new IsarCommunicationException(e.Message);
+            }
 
             if (!response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
             {
diff --git a/backend/api/Services/MissionSchedulingService.cs b/backend/api/Services/MissionSchedulingService.cs
index eac7c87c9..a7150ccf5 100644
--- a/backend/api/Services/MissionSchedulingService.cs
+++ b/backend/api/Services/MissionSchedulingService.cs
@@ -151,11 +151,11 @@ or MissionRunNotFoundException
             {
                 logger.LogError(
                     ex,
-                    "Mission run {MissionRunId} was not started successfully due to {ErrorMessage}",
+                    "Mission run {MissionRunId} was not started successfully. {ErrorMessage}",
                     missionRun.Id,
                     ex.Message
                 );
-                await missionRunService.SetMissionRunToFailed(missionRun.Id, $"Mission run '{missionRun.Id}' was not started successfully due to '{ex.Message}'");
+                await missionRunService.SetMissionRunToFailed(missionRun.Id, $"Mission run '{missionRun.Id}' was not started successfully. '{ex.Message}'");
             }
         }