diff --git a/http/query_handler.go b/http/query_handler.go
index df3ab13f85..3392b7716e 100644
--- a/http/query_handler.go
+++ b/http/query_handler.go
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ func (s *FluxQueryService) Query(ctx context.Context, r *query.Request) (flux.Re
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err := CheckError(resp); err != nil {
+	if err := CheckError(resp, true); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/query/control/controller.go b/query/control/controller.go
index 16bd8e9165..34f3959024 100644
--- a/query/control/controller.go
+++ b/query/control/controller.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (c *Controller) Query(ctx context.Context, req *query.Request) (flux.Query,
 		// or other problem that the client must fix.
 		return q, &platform.Error{
 			Code: platform.EInvalid,
-			Err:  err,
+			Msg:  err.Error(),
 		}
 	}