diff --git a/packages/workflow/src/NodeErrors.ts b/packages/workflow/src/NodeErrors.ts
index f9e2382896000..b672861327f3d 100644
--- a/packages/workflow/src/NodeErrors.ts
+++ b/packages/workflow/src/NodeErrors.ts
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ const STATUS_CODE_MESSAGES: IStatusCodeMessages = {
 	'5XX': 'The service failed to process your request',
 	'500': 'The service was not able to process your request',
 	'502': 'Bad gateway - the service failed to handle your request',
-	'503': 'Service unavailable - perhaps try again later?',
+	'503':
+		'Service unavailable - try again later or consider setting this node to retry automatically (in the node settings)',
 	'504': 'Gateway timed out - perhaps try again later?',
 
 	ECONNREFUSED: 'The service refused the connection - perhaps it is offline',
@@ -298,15 +299,51 @@ export class NodeApiError extends NodeError {
 		{ message, description, httpCode, parseXml, runIndex, itemIndex }: NodeApiErrorOptions = {},
 	) {
 		super(node, error);
+
 		if (error.error) {
 			// only for request library error
 			this.removeCircularRefs(error.error as JsonObject);
 		}
 
+		if ((!message && (error.message || (error?.reason as IDataObject)?.message)) || description) {
+			this.message = (error.message ??
+				(error?.reason as IDataObject)?.message ??
+				description) as string;
+		}
+
+		if (!description && (error.description || (error?.reason as IDataObject)?.description)) {
+			this.description = (error.description ??
+				(error?.reason as IDataObject)?.description) as string;
+		}
+
+		if (!httpCode && !message && error.status === 'rejected') {
+			httpCode = 'ECONNREFUSED';
+
+			const originalMessage = this.message;
+			if (!description && originalMessage) {
+				this.description = `${originalMessage} ${this.description ?? ''}`;
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (
+			!httpCode &&
+			!message &&
+			this.message &&
+			this.message.toLowerCase().includes('bad gateway')
+		) {
+			httpCode = '502';
+
+			const originalMessage = this.message;
+			if (!description) {
+				this.description = `${originalMessage}; ${this.description ?? ''}`;
+			}
+		}
+
 		// if it's an error generated by axios
 		// look for descriptions in the response object
 		if (error.reason) {
 			const reason: IDataObject = error.reason as unknown as IDataObject;
+
 			if (reason.isAxiosError && reason.response) {
 				error = reason.response as JsonObject;
 			}
@@ -319,7 +356,12 @@ export class NodeApiError extends NodeError {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this.httpCode = this.findProperty(error, ERROR_STATUS_PROPERTIES, ERROR_NESTING_PROPERTIES);
+		if (httpCode) {
+			this.httpCode = httpCode;
+		} else {
+			this.httpCode = this.findProperty(error, ERROR_STATUS_PROPERTIES, ERROR_NESTING_PROPERTIES);
+		}
+
 		this.setMessage();
 
 		if (parseXml) {
@@ -356,7 +398,8 @@ export class NodeApiError extends NodeError {
 	private setMessage() {
 		if (!this.httpCode) {
 			this.httpCode = null;
-			this.message = UNKNOWN_ERROR_MESSAGE;
+			// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/prefer-nullish-coalescing
+			this.message = this.message || this.description || UNKNOWN_ERROR_MESSAGE;
 			return;
 		}
 
@@ -373,7 +416,8 @@ export class NodeApiError extends NodeError {
 				this.message = STATUS_CODE_MESSAGES['5XX'];
 				break;
 			default:
-				this.message = this.message || UNKNOWN_ERROR_MESSAGE;
+				// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/prefer-nullish-coalescing
+				this.message = this.message || this.description || UNKNOWN_ERROR_MESSAGE;
 		}
 		if (this.node.type === 'n8n-nodes-base.noOp' && this.message === UNKNOWN_ERROR_MESSAGE) {
 			this.message = `${UNKNOWN_ERROR_MESSAGE_CRED} - ${this.httpCode}`;
diff --git a/packages/workflow/test/NodeErrors.test.ts b/packages/workflow/test/NodeErrors.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..05556f4748d88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/workflow/test/NodeErrors.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import type { INode } from '../src/Interfaces';
+import { NodeApiError } from '../src/NodeErrors';
+
+const node: INode = {
+	id: '1',
+	name: 'Postgres node',
+	typeVersion: 2,
+	type: 'n8n-nodes-base.postgres',
+	position: [60, 760],
+	parameters: {
+		operation: 'executeQuery',
+	},
+};
+
+describe('NodeErrors tests', () => {
+	it('should return unknown error message', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, {});
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual(
+			'UNKNOWN ERROR - check the detailed error for more information',
+		);
+	});
+
+	it('should return the error message', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, { message: 'test error message' });
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('test error message');
+	});
+
+	it('should return the error message defined in reason', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, { reason: { message: 'test error message' } });
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('test error message');
+	});
+
+	it('should return the error message defined in options', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, {}, { message: 'test error message' });
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('test error message');
+	});
+
+	it('should return description error message', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, { description: 'test error description' });
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('test error description');
+	});
+
+	it('should return description as error message defined in reason', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, {
+			reason: { description: 'test error description' },
+		});
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('test error description');
+	});
+
+	it('should return description as error message defined in options', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, {}, { description: 'test error description' });
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('test error description');
+	});
+
+	it('should return default message for ECONNREFUSED', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, {
+			status: 'rejected',
+			message: 'ECONNREFUSED',
+		});
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual(
+			'The service refused the connection - perhaps it is offline',
+		);
+	});
+
+	it('should return default message for 502', () => {
+		const nodeApiError = new NodeApiError(node, {
+			message: '502 Bad Gateway',
+		});
+
+		expect(nodeApiError.message).toEqual('Bad gateway - the service failed to handle your request');
+	});
+});