diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cy/errors.coffee b/packages/driver/src/cy/errors.coffee
index 701f0358bd0d..beb2d1bcbd21 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cy/errors.coffee
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cy/errors.coffee
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ create = (state, config, log) ->
           obj
     })
 
-  createUncaughtException = (msg, source, lineno, colno, err) ->
+  createUncaughtException = (type, args) ->
+    [msg, source, lineno, colno, err] = args
+
     current = state("current")
 
     ## reset the msg on a cross origin script error
@@ -43,6 +45,12 @@ create = (state, config, log) ->
 
     err.name = "Uncaught " + err.name
 
+    suffixMsg = switch type
+      when "app" then "uncaught.fromApp"
+      when "spec" then "uncaught.fromSpec"
+
+    err = $utils.appendErrMsg(err, $utils.errMessageByPath(suffixMsg))
+
     err.onFail = ->
       if l = current and current.getLastLog()
         l.error(err)
diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cypress/cy.coffee b/packages/driver/src/cypress/cy.coffee
index 85bd61acd6be..5acc3f724b28 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cypress/cy.coffee
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cypress/cy.coffee
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ create = (specWindow, Cypress, Cookies, state, config, log) ->
 
     onSpecWindowUncaughtException: ->
       ## create the special uncaught exception err
-      err = errors.createUncaughtException.apply(null, arguments)
+      err = errors.createUncaughtException("spec", arguments)
 
       if runnable = state("runnable")
         ## we're using an explicit done callback here
@@ -891,7 +891,7 @@ create = (specWindow, Cypress, Cookies, state, config, log) ->
       return if not runnable
 
       ## create the special uncaught exception err
-      err = errors.createUncaughtException.apply(null, arguments)
+      err = errors.createUncaughtException("app", arguments)
 
       results = Cypress.action("app:uncaught:exception", err, runnable)
 
diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee b/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee
index c71a79fa9e58..8925d052f2a3 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cypress/error_messages.coffee
@@ -788,6 +788,22 @@ module.exports = {
 
       msg + if source and lineno then " (#{source}:#{lineno})" else ""
 
+    fromApp: """
+      This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+      When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+      This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+      https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
+    """
+
+    fromSpec: """
+      This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+      When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
+    """
+
   viewport:
     bad_args:  "#{cmd('viewport')} can only accept a string preset or a width and height as numbers."
     dimensions_out_of_range: "#{cmd('viewport')} width and height must be between 200px and 3000px."
diff --git a/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/e2e/uncaught_errors_spec.coffee b/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/e2e/uncaught_errors_spec.coffee
index 421a7abb8fbd..ec7d56a3b9b2 100644
--- a/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/e2e/uncaught_errors_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/driver/test/cypress/integration/e2e/uncaught_errors_spec.coffee
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ describe "uncaught errors", ->
     r = cy.state("runnable")
 
     cy.on "uncaught:exception", (err, runnable) ->
+      expect(err.name).to.eq("Uncaught ReferenceError")
       expect(err.message).to.include("foo is not defined")
+      expect(err.message).to.include("This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.")
+      expect(err.message).to.include("https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application")
       expect(runnable is r).to.be.true
 
       return false
diff --git a/packages/server/__snapshots__/caught_uncaught_hook_errors_spec.coffee b/packages/server/__snapshots__/caught_uncaught_hook_errors_spec.coffee
index f8a989002c01..baa0382d1185 100644
--- a/packages/server/__snapshots__/caught_uncaught_hook_errors_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/server/__snapshots__/caught_uncaught_hook_errors_spec.coffee
@@ -87,6 +87,14 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
   1) s1b "before each" hook for "t2b":
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
 
+This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
+
 Because this error occurred during a 'before each' hook we are skipping the remaining tests in the current suite: 's1b'
       at stack trace line
 
@@ -134,6 +142,14 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
   1)  "before each" hook for "t1c":
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
 
+This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
+
 Because this error occurred during a 'before each' hook we are skipping all of the remaining tests.
       at stack trace line
 
@@ -187,6 +203,14 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
   1) uncaught hook error should continue to fire all mocha events s1 "before each" hook for "does not run":
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
 
+This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
+
 Because this error occurred during a 'before each' hook we are skipping the remaining tests in the current suite: 's1'
       at stack trace line
 
diff --git a/packages/server/__snapshots__/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee b/packages/server/__snapshots__/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee
index 2cfd2e4ec26e..f476f8b79e4a 100644
--- a/packages/server/__snapshots__/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/server/__snapshots__/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-exports['e2e commands outside of test passes 1'] = `
+exports['e2e commands outside of test fails 1'] = `
 Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
 
   (Tests Starting)
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ Check your test file for errors.
 
 https://on.cypress.io/cannot-execute-commands-outside-test
 
+This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
+
 Cypress could not associate this error to any specific test.
 
 We dynamically generated a new test to display this failure.
@@ -60,4 +64,3 @@ We dynamically generated a new test to display this failure.
   (All Done)
 
 `
-
diff --git a/packages/server/__snapshots__/js_error_handling_spec.coffee b/packages/server/__snapshots__/js_error_handling_spec.coffee
index c08d26cb5efc..2568bc41884d 100644
--- a/packages/server/__snapshots__/js_error_handling_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/server/__snapshots__/js_error_handling_spec.coffee
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
 
   1) s1 without an afterEach hook t1:
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
+
+This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
       at stack trace line
       at stack trace line
       at stack trace line
@@ -36,6 +44,14 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
 
   3) s1 with an afterEach hook t4:
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
+
+This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
       at stack trace line
       at stack trace line
       at stack trace line
@@ -56,6 +72,14 @@ Check your Developer Tools Console for the actual error - it should be printed t
 It's possible to enable debugging these scripts by adding the 'crossorigin' attribute and setting a CORS header.
 
 https://on.cypress.io/cross-origin-script-error
+
+This error originated from *your* application code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your application it will automatically fail the current test.
+
+This behavior is configurable, and you can choose to turn this off by listening to the 'uncaught:exception' event.
+
+https://on.cypress.io/uncaught-exception-from-application
       at stack trace line
       at stack trace line
       at stack trace line
diff --git a/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_spec_errors_spec.coffee b/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_spec_errors_spec.coffee
index 0bc7b8a8734c..6bed561b69d8 100644
--- a/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_spec_errors_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_spec_errors_spec.coffee
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
   1)  An uncaught error was detected outside of a test:
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
 
+This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
+
 Cypress could not associate this error to any specific test.
 
 We dynamically generated a new test to display this failure.
@@ -64,6 +68,10 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
   1)  An uncaught error was detected outside of a test:
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
 
+This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
+
 Cypress could not associate this error to any specific test.
 
 We dynamically generated a new test to display this failure.
@@ -118,6 +126,10 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
 
   1) foo bar:
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
+
+This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
       at stack trace line
 
 
@@ -169,6 +181,10 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/e2e/cypress/videos/abc123.mp4
   1) foo "before all" hook for "does not run":
      Uncaught ReferenceError: foo is not defined
 
+This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
+
 Because this error occurred during a 'before all' hook we are skipping the remaining tests in the current suite: 'foo'
       at stack trace line
 
diff --git a/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_support_file_spec.coffee b/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_support_file_spec.coffee
index 20ef3d26c982..b2724bcd0570 100644
--- a/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_support_file_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/server/__snapshots__/uncaught_support_file_spec.coffee
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ Started video recording: /foo/bar/.projects/uncaught-support-file/cypress/videos
   1)  An uncaught error was detected outside of a test:
      Uncaught Error: bar
 
+This error originated from *your* test code, not from Cypress.
+
+When Cypress detects uncaught errors originating from your test code it will automatically fail the current test.
+
 Cypress could not associate this error to any specific test.
 
 We dynamically generated a new test to display this failure.
diff --git a/packages/server/test/e2e/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee b/packages/server/test/e2e/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee
index bd6f707ed61c..9bf5e176c8d5 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/e2e/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee
+++ b/packages/server/test/e2e/commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee
@@ -3,15 +3,7 @@ e2e = require("../support/helpers/e2e")
 describe "e2e commands outside of test", ->
   e2e.setup()
 
-  it "passes", ->
-    ## TODO: currently this doesn't actually cause mocha
-    ## to fail and therefore our exit code is 0
-    ## because this error is thrown in the console
-    ## and cannot be properly tied to a test
-    ## ---
-    ## perhaps we should dynamically generate a test to
-    ## associate it for stdout? how else would a user know
-    ## whats going on?
+  it "fails", ->
     e2e.exec(@, {
       spec: "commands_outside_of_test_spec.coffee"
       snapshot: true