diff --git a/lib/openai.rb b/lib/openai.rb
index d5880c90..14cf2777 100644
--- a/lib/openai.rb
+++ b/lib/openai.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ def call(env)
       raise e unless e.response.is_a?(Hash)
 
       OpenAI.log_message("OpenAI HTTP Error", e.response[:body], :error)
-      raise e
+
+      body = e.response[:body]
+      api_message = body.is_a?(Hash) ? body.dig("error", "message") : nil
+      raise e, api_message ? "#{e.message} - #{api_message}" : e.message
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/openai/client/http_spec.rb b/spec/openai/client/http_spec.rb
index 471289f4..37a5c605 100644
--- a/spec/openai/client/http_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/openai/client/http_spec.rb
@@ -258,12 +258,18 @@
         VCR.use_cassette(cassette, record: :none) do
           expect { OpenAI::Client.new(log_errors: log_errors).models.retrieve(id: "text-ada-001") }
             .to raise_error Faraday::Error
-
           $stdout.rewind
           captured_stdout = $stdout.string
           expect(captured_stdout).to include("OpenAI HTTP Error")
         end
       end
+
+      it "includes the API error message in the exception" do
+        VCR.use_cassette(cassette, record: :none) do
+          expect { OpenAI::Client.new(log_errors: log_errors).models.retrieve(id: "text-ada-001") }
+            .to raise_error(Faraday::Error, /Test error/)
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     describe "when log_errors is set to false" do
@@ -273,7 +279,6 @@
         VCR.use_cassette(cassette, record: :none) do
           expect { OpenAI::Client.new(log_errors: log_errors).models.retrieve(id: "text-ada-001") }
             .to raise_error Faraday::Error
-
           $stdout.rewind
           captured_stdout = $stdout.string
           expect(captured_stdout).not_to include("OpenAI HTTP Error")