diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bb1c21ed8..5a7521526 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
   This adds an implementation requirement to set the interface default behavior for unimplemented methods. (#3916)
 - Move No-Op implementation from `go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric` into its own package `go.opentelemetry.io/otel/metric/noop`. (#3941)
   - `metric.NewNoopMeterProvider` is replaced with `noop.NewMeterProvider`
+- Wrap `UploadMetrics` error in `go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlpmetric/` to improve error message when encountering generic grpc errors. (#3974)
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/exporters/otlp/otlpmetric/internal/exporter.go b/exporters/otlp/otlpmetric/internal/exporter.go
index 828ee83c2..e1d912dab 100644
--- a/exporters/otlp/otlpmetric/internal/exporter.go
+++ b/exporters/otlp/otlpmetric/internal/exporter.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func (e *exporter) Export(ctx context.Context, rm *metricdata.ResourceMetrics) e
 	e.clientMu.Unlock()
 	if upErr != nil {
 		if err == nil {
-			return upErr
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to upload metrics: %w", upErr)
 		}
 		// Merge the two errors.
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to upload incomplete metrics (%s): %w", err, upErr)