diff --git a/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/aws/runners.ts b/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/aws/runners.ts
index 06296fb03b..889d3c5f8a 100644
--- a/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/aws/runners.ts
+++ b/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/aws/runners.ts
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ async function getAmiIdOverride(runnerParameters: Runners.RunnerInputParameters)
         'Please ensure that the given parameter exists on this region and contains a valid runner AMI ID',
       { error: e },
     );
-    throw e;
+    throw new Error(`Failed to lookup runner AMI ID from SSM parameter: ${runnerParameters.amiIdSsmParameterName},
+       ${e}`);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/lambda.ts b/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/lambda.ts
index 8168f99e68..0389483285 100644
--- a/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/lambda.ts
+++ b/lambdas/functions/control-plane/src/lambda.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export async function scaleUpHandler(event: SQSEvent, context: Context): Promise
     if (e instanceof ScaleError) {
       throw e;
     } else {
-      logger.warn(`Ignoring error: ${(e as Error).message}`);
+      logger.warn(`Ignoring error: ${e}`);
     }
   }
 }