diff --git a/server/pipeline/create.go b/server/pipeline/create.go
index 9a60299ff..52eba4d79 100644
--- a/server/pipeline/create.go
+++ b/server/pipeline/create.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func Create(ctx context.Context, _store store.Store, repo *model.Repo, pipeline
 		return nil, ErrFiltered
 	} else if configFetchErr != nil {
 		log.Debug().Str("repo", repo.FullName).Err(configFetchErr).Msgf("error while fetching config '%s' in '%s' with user: '%s'", repo.Config, pipeline.Ref, repoUser.Login)
-		return nil, updatePipelineWithErr(ctx, _forge, _store, pipeline, repo, repoUser, fmt.Errorf("pipeline definition not found in %s", repo.FullName))
+		return nil, updatePipelineWithErr(ctx, _forge, _store, pipeline, repo, repoUser, fmt.Errorf("could not load config from forge: %w", err))
 	}
 
 	pipelineItems, parseErr := parsePipeline(_forge, _store, pipeline, repoUser, repo, forgeYamlConfigs, nil)