diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteModule.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteModule.java
index b09163c..5d10cee 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteModule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteModule.java
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.options.RemoteOutputsMode;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.DigestUtil;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.TracingMetadataUtils;
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.Utils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.runtime.BlazeModule;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.runtime.BuildEventArtifactUploaderFactory;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.runtime.Command;
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@
           capabilities = rsc.get(buildRequestId, invocationId);
         } catch (IOException e) {
           throw new AbruptExitException(
-              "Failed to query remote execution capabilities: " + e.getMessage(),
+              "Failed to query remote execution capabilities: " + Utils.grpcAwareErrorMessage(e),
               ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR,
               e);
         } catch (InterruptedException e) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnCache.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnCache.java
index 72ba687..e711b27 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnCache.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnCache.java
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.DigestUtil;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.DigestUtil.ActionKey;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.TracingMetadataUtils;
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.Utils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.Utils.InMemoryOutput;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.Path;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.vfs.PathFragment;
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@
       } catch (CacheNotFoundException e) {
         // Intentionally left blank
       } catch (IOException e) {
-        String errorMsg = e.getMessage();
+        String errorMsg = Utils.grpcAwareErrorMessage(e);
         if (isNullOrEmpty(errorMsg)) {
           errorMsg = e.getClass().getSimpleName();
         }
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@
             remoteCache.upload(
                 actionKey, action, command, execRoot, files, context.getFileOutErr());
           } catch (IOException e) {
-            String errorMsg = e.getMessage();
+            String errorMsg = Utils.grpcAwareErrorMessage(e);
             if (isNullOrEmpty(errorMsg)) {
               errorMsg = e.getClass().getSimpleName();
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunner.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunner.java
index cb6463a..2a09f3c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunner.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunner.java
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.events.Event;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.events.Reporter;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.ExecutionOptions;
-import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.SpawnExecException;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.SpawnRunner;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.profiler.Profiler;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.profiler.ProfilerTask;
@@ -66,6 +65,7 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.DigestUtil;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.DigestUtil.ActionKey;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.TracingMetadataUtils;
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.Utils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.Utils.InMemoryOutput;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.util.ExitCode;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.util.io.FileOutErr;
@@ -439,17 +439,24 @@
     } else {
       status = Status.EXECUTION_FAILED;
     }
-    throw new SpawnExecException(
-        verboseFailures ? Throwables.getStackTraceAsString(exception) : exception.getMessage(),
-        new SpawnResult.Builder()
-            .setRunnerName(getName())
-            .setStatus(status)
-            .setExitCode(ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR.getNumericExitCode())
-            .setFailureMessage(exception.getMessage())
-            .build(),
-        /* forciblyRunRemotely= */ false);
+
+    final String errorMessage;
+    if (!verboseFailures) {
+      errorMessage = Utils.grpcAwareErrorMessage(exception);
+    } else {
+      // On --verbose_failures print the whole stack trace
+      errorMessage = Throwables.getStackTraceAsString(exception);
+    }
+
+    return new SpawnResult.Builder()
+        .setRunnerName(getName())
+        .setStatus(status)
+        .setExitCode(ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR.getNumericExitCode())
+        .setFailureMessage(errorMessage)
+        .build();
   }
 
+
   static Action buildAction(Digest command, Digest inputRoot, Duration timeout, boolean cacheable) {
 
     Action.Builder action = Action.newBuilder();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/util/Utils.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/util/Utils.java
index 1ab04da..818a4da 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/util/Utils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/util/Utils.java
@@ -107,6 +107,16 @@
     return !Collections.disjoint(outputs, topLevelOutputs);
   }
 
+  public static String grpcAwareErrorMessage(IOException e) {
+    io.grpc.Status errStatus = io.grpc.Status.fromThrowable(e);
+    if (!errStatus.getCode().equals(io.grpc.Status.UNKNOWN.getCode())) {
+      // If the error originated in the gRPC library then display it as "STATUS: error message"
+      // to the user
+      return String.format("%s: %s", errStatus.getCode().name(), errStatus.getDescription());
+    }
+    return e.getMessage();
+  }
+
   /** An in-memory output file. */
   public static final class InMemoryOutput {
     private final ActionInput output;
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.java
index 40e7074..157c3a3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.java
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 package com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
-import static com.google.devtools.build.lib.testutil.MoreAsserts.assertThrows;
 import static java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets.UTF_8;
 import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 import static org.mockito.AdditionalAnswers.answerVoid;
@@ -50,7 +49,6 @@
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.MoreExecutors;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.actions.ActionInput;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.actions.ActionInputHelper;
-import com.google.devtools.build.lib.actions.ExecException;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.actions.ResourceSet;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.actions.SimpleSpawn;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.actions.SpawnResult;
@@ -59,7 +57,6 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.authandtls.GoogleAuthUtils;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.clock.JavaClock;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.ExecutionOptions;
-import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.SpawnExecException;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.util.FakeOwner;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.RemoteRetrier.ExponentialBackoff;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.options.RemoteOptions;
@@ -222,7 +219,7 @@
             remoteOptions,
             Options.getDefaults(ExecutionOptions.class),
             null,
-            true,
+            /* verboseFailures= */ true,
             /*cmdlineReporter=*/ null,
             "build-req-id",
             "command-id",
@@ -857,13 +854,10 @@
     FakeSpawnExecutionContext policy =
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(simpleSpawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
 
-    SpawnExecException expected =
-        assertThrows(SpawnExecException.class, () -> client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy));
-    assertThat(expected.getSpawnResult().status())
-        .isEqualTo(SpawnResult.Status.EXECUTION_FAILED_CATASTROPHICALLY);
-    // Ensure we also got back the stack trace.
-    assertThat(expected)
-        .hasMessageThat()
+    SpawnResult result = client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.status()).isEqualTo(SpawnResult.Status.EXECUTION_FAILED_CATASTROPHICALLY);
+    // Ensure we also got back the stack trace due to verboseFailures=true
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage())
         .contains("GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.passUnavailableErrorWithStackTrace");
   }
 
@@ -880,12 +874,10 @@
 
     FakeSpawnExecutionContext policy =
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(simpleSpawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
-    ExecException expected =
-        assertThrows(ExecException.class, () -> client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy));
-    assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains("whoa"); // Error details.
+    SpawnResult result = client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage()).contains("whoa"); // Error details.
     // Ensure we also got back the stack trace.
-    assertThat(expected)
-        .hasMessageThat()
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage())
         .contains("GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.passInternalErrorWithStackTrace");
   }
 
@@ -941,14 +933,11 @@
     FakeSpawnExecutionContext policy =
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(simpleSpawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
 
-    SpawnExecException expected =
-        assertThrows(SpawnExecException.class, () -> client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy));
-    assertThat(expected.getSpawnResult().status())
-        .isEqualTo(SpawnResult.Status.REMOTE_CACHE_FAILED);
-      assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains(DIGEST_UTIL.toString(stdOutDigest));
+    SpawnResult result = client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.status()).isEqualTo(SpawnResult.Status.REMOTE_CACHE_FAILED);
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage()).contains(DIGEST_UTIL.toString(stdOutDigest));
     // Ensure we also got back the stack trace.
-    assertThat(expected)
-        .hasMessageThat()
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage())
         .contains("GrpcRemoteExecutionClientTest.passCacheMissErrorWithStackTrace");
   }
 
@@ -1004,14 +993,11 @@
 
     FakeSpawnExecutionContext policy =
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(simpleSpawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
-    SpawnExecException expected =
-        assertThrows(SpawnExecException.class, () -> client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy));
-    assertThat(expected.getSpawnResult().status())
-        .isEqualTo(SpawnResult.Status.REMOTE_CACHE_FAILED);
-      assertThat(expected).hasMessageThat().contains(DIGEST_UTIL.toString(stdOutDigest));
-    // Ensure we also got back the stack trace.
-    assertThat(expected)
-        .hasMessageThat()
+    SpawnResult result = client.exec(simpleSpawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.status()).isEqualTo(SpawnResult.Status.REMOTE_CACHE_FAILED);
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage()).contains(DIGEST_UTIL.toString(stdOutDigest));
+    // Ensure we also got back the stack trace because verboseFailures=true
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage())
         .contains("passRepeatedOrphanedCacheMissErrorWithStackTrace");
   }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunnerTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunnerTest.java
index 5dd3713..567629a 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunnerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/RemoteSpawnRunnerTest.java
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.events.Reporter;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.events.StoredEventHandler;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.ExecutionOptions;
-import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.SpawnExecException;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.SpawnRunner;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.SpawnRunner.SpawnExecutionContext;
 import com.google.devtools.build.lib.exec.util.FakeOwner;
@@ -739,9 +738,9 @@
     SpawnExecutionContext policy =
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(spawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
 
-    SpawnExecException e = assertThrows(SpawnExecException.class, () -> runner.exec(spawn, policy));
-    assertThat(e.getSpawnResult().exitCode()).isEqualTo(ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR.getNumericExitCode());
-    assertThat(e.getSpawnResult().getDetailMessage("", "", false, false)).contains("reasons");
+    SpawnResult result = runner.exec(spawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.exitCode()).isEqualTo(ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR.getNumericExitCode());
+    assertThat(result.getDetailMessage("", "", false, false)).contains("reasons");
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -759,9 +758,9 @@
     SpawnExecutionContext policy =
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(spawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
 
-    SpawnExecException e = assertThrows(SpawnExecException.class, () -> runner.exec(spawn, policy));
-    assertThat(e.getSpawnResult().exitCode()).isEqualTo(ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR.getNumericExitCode());
-    assertThat(e.getSpawnResult().getDetailMessage("", "", false, false)).contains("reasons");
+    SpawnResult result = runner.exec(spawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.exitCode()).isEqualTo(ExitCode.REMOTE_ERROR.getNumericExitCode());
+    assertThat(result.getDetailMessage("", "", false, false)).contains("reasons");
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -910,8 +909,8 @@
         new FakeSpawnExecutionContext(spawn, fakeFileCache, execRoot, outErr);
 
     // act
-    SpawnExecException e = assertThrows(SpawnExecException.class, () -> runner.exec(spawn, policy));
-    assertThat(e.getMessage()).isEqualTo(downloadFailure.getMessage());
+    SpawnResult result = runner.exec(spawn, policy);
+    assertThat(result.getFailureMessage()).isEqualTo(downloadFailure.getMessage());
 
     // assert
     verify(cache)
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/UtilsTest.java b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/UtilsTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ad1b4c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/remote/UtilsTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Copyright 2019 The Bazel Authors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+package com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote;
+
+import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+
+import com.google.devtools.build.lib.remote.util.Utils;
+import io.grpc.Status;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.junit.runners.JUnit4;
+
+/** Tests for remote utility methods */
+@RunWith(JUnit4.class)
+public class UtilsTest {
+
+  @Test
+  public void testGrpcAwareErrorMessages() {
+    IOException ioError = new IOException("io error");
+    IOException wrappedGrpcError =
+        new IOException(
+            "wrapped error", Status.ABORTED.withDescription("grpc error").asRuntimeException());
+
+    assertThat(Utils.grpcAwareErrorMessage(ioError)).isEqualTo("io error");
+    assertThat(Utils.grpcAwareErrorMessage(wrappedGrpcError)).isEqualTo("ABORTED: grpc error");
+  }
+}