diff --git a/homeassistant/components/vicare/climate.py b/homeassistant/components/vicare/climate.py
index b32b6e28480..a7a2fb7e277 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/vicare/climate.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/vicare/climate.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from homeassistant.const import (
     UnitOfTemperature,
 )
 from homeassistant.core import HomeAssistant
+from homeassistant.exceptions import ServiceValidationError
 from homeassistant.helpers import entity_platform
 import homeassistant.helpers.config_validation as cv
 from homeassistant.helpers.entity_platform import AddEntitiesCallback
@@ -292,22 +293,45 @@ class ViCareClimate(ViCareEntity, ClimateEntity):
 
     def set_preset_mode(self, preset_mode: str) -> None:
         """Set new preset mode and deactivate any existing programs."""
-        vicare_program = HA_TO_VICARE_PRESET_HEATING.get(preset_mode)
-        if vicare_program is None:
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"Cannot set invalid vicare program: {preset_mode}/{vicare_program}"
+        target_program = HA_TO_VICARE_PRESET_HEATING.get(preset_mode)
+        if target_program is None:
+            raise ServiceValidationError(
+                translation_domain=DOMAIN,
+                translation_key="program_unknown",
+                translation_placeholders={
+                    "preset": preset_mode,
+                },
             )
 
-        _LOGGER.debug("Setting preset to %s / %s", preset_mode, vicare_program)
-        if self._current_program != VICARE_PROGRAM_NORMAL:
+        _LOGGER.debug("Current preset %s", self._current_program)
+        if self._current_program and self._current_program != VICARE_PROGRAM_NORMAL:
             # We can't deactivate "normal"
+            _LOGGER.debug("deactivating %s", self._current_program)
             try:
                 self._circuit.deactivateProgram(self._current_program)
-            except PyViCareCommandError:
-                _LOGGER.debug("Unable to deactivate program %s", self._current_program)
-        if vicare_program != VICARE_PROGRAM_NORMAL:
-            # And we can't explicitly activate normal, either
-            self._circuit.activateProgram(vicare_program)
+            except PyViCareCommandError as err:
+                raise ServiceValidationError(
+                    translation_domain=DOMAIN,
+                    translation_key="program_not_deactivated",
+                    translation_placeholders={
+                        "program": self._current_program,
+                    },
+                ) from err
+
+        _LOGGER.debug("Setting preset to %s / %s", preset_mode, target_program)
+        if target_program != VICARE_PROGRAM_NORMAL:
+            # And we can't explicitly activate "normal", either
+            _LOGGER.debug("activating %s", target_program)
+            try:
+                self._circuit.activateProgram(target_program)
+            except PyViCareCommandError as err:
+                raise ServiceValidationError(
+                    translation_domain=DOMAIN,
+                    translation_key="program_not_activated",
+                    translation_placeholders={
+                        "program": target_program,
+                    },
+                ) from err
 
     @property
     def extra_state_attributes(self):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/vicare/strings.json b/homeassistant/components/vicare/strings.json
index f3a51bde9e4..e9ee272edd8 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/vicare/strings.json
+++ b/homeassistant/components/vicare/strings.json
@@ -288,6 +288,17 @@
       }
     }
   },
+  "exceptions": {
+    "program_unknown": {
+      "message": "Cannot translate preset {preset} into a valid ViCare program"
+    },
+    "program_not_activated": {
+      "message": "Unable to activate ViCare program {program}"
+    },
+    "program_not_deactivated": {
+      "message": "Unable to deactivate ViCare program {program}"
+    }
+  },
   "services": {
     "set_vicare_mode": {
       "name": "Set ViCare mode",