diff --git a/frontend/src/test/httpUtil.test.ts b/frontend/src/test/httpUtil.test.ts
index d5e7b1643..87ceace7e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/httpUtil.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/test/httpUtil.test.ts
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ describe('HttpUtil', () => {
     expect(toast.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
-  it('maps a thrown HttpError to a failure Msg via response.data.message', async () => {
-    mockRequest.mockRejectedValue(new HttpError(400, 'Bad Request', { message: 'bad input' }));
+  it('surfaces the backend error text from a thrown HttpError body (msg field)', async () => {
+    mockRequest.mockRejectedValue(new HttpError(400, 'Bad Request', { success: false, msg: 'bad input' }));
 
     const msg = await HttpUtil.post('/x', undefined, { silent: true });
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/index.ts b/frontend/src/utils/index.ts
index 845c3e109..566c169f9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/index.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/index.ts
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ export class HttpUtil {
       return msg;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('GET request failed:', error);
-      const err = error as { response?: { data?: { message?: string } }; message?: string };
-      const errorMsg = new Msg<T>(false, err.response?.data?.message || err.message || 'Request failed');
+      const err = error as { response?: { data?: { msg?: string; message?: string } }; message?: string };
+      const data = err.response?.data;
+      const errorMsg = new Msg<T>(false, data?.msg || data?.message || err.message || 'Request failed');
       if (!silent) this._handleMsg(errorMsg);
       return errorMsg;
     }
@@ -92,8 +93,9 @@ export class HttpUtil {
       return msg;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('POST request failed:', error);
-      const err = error as { response?: { data?: { message?: string } }; message?: string };
-      const errorMsg = new Msg<T>(false, err.response?.data?.message || err.message || 'Request failed');
+      const err = error as { response?: { data?: { msg?: string; message?: string } }; message?: string };
+      const data = err.response?.data;
+      const errorMsg = new Msg<T>(false, data?.msg || data?.message || err.message || 'Request failed');
       if (!silent) this._handleMsg(errorMsg);
       return errorMsg;
     }