diff --git a/lib/util/exec/common.spec.ts b/lib/util/exec/common.spec.ts
index 16f86685d4c4ce..19f1bb621ece25 100644
--- a/lib/util/exec/common.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/util/exec/common.spec.ts
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ describe('util/exec/common', () => {
         exec(cmd, partial<RawExecOptions>({ encoding: 'utf8' }))
       ).rejects.toMatchObject({
         cmd,
-        message: 'Process exited with exit code "1"',
+        message: `Command failed: ${cmd}\n${stderr}`,
         exitCode,
         stderr,
       });
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ describe('util/exec/common', () => {
       ).rejects.toMatchObject({
         cmd,
         signal: exitSignal,
-        message: 'Process signaled with "SIGTERM"',
+        message: `Command failed: ${cmd}\nInterrupted by ${exitSignal}`,
       });
     });
 
diff --git a/lib/util/exec/common.ts b/lib/util/exec/common.ts
index d0a5aa156f5c79..5287586355a878 100644
--- a/lib/util/exec/common.ts
+++ b/lib/util/exec/common.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export function exec(cmd: string, opts: RawExecOptions): Promise<ExecResult> {
     // handle process events
     cp.on('error', (error) => {
       kill(cp, 'SIGTERM');
+      // rethrowing, use originally emitted error message
       reject(new ExecError(error.message, rejectInfo(), error));
     });
 
@@ -83,16 +84,23 @@ export function exec(cmd: string, opts: RawExecOptions): Promise<ExecResult> {
       if (NONTERM.includes(signal)) {
         return;
       }
-
       if (signal) {
-        const message = `Process signaled with "${signal}"`;
         kill(cp, signal);
-        reject(new ExecError(message, { ...rejectInfo(), signal }));
+        reject(
+          new ExecError(`Command failed: ${cmd}\nInterrupted by ${signal}`, {
+            ...rejectInfo(),
+            signal,
+          })
+        );
         return;
       }
       if (code !== 0) {
-        const message = `Process exited with exit code "${code}"`;
-        reject(new ExecError(message, { ...rejectInfo(), exitCode: code }));
+        reject(
+          new ExecError(`Command failed: ${cmd}\n${stringify(stderr)}`, {
+            ...rejectInfo(),
+            exitCode: code,
+          })
+        );
         return;
       }
       resolve({