diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 5d4ed62..f085ba8 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-use reqwest::{Error as ReqwestError, StatusCode};
+use reqwest::{Error as ReqwestError, Response, StatusCode};
+use serde_json::Value;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
@@ -32,7 +33,13 @@ pub enum HeliusError {
 }
 
 impl HeliusError {
-    pub fn from_response_status(status: StatusCode, path: String, text: String) -> Self {
+    pub async fn from_response_status(status: StatusCode, path: String, response: Response) -> Self {
+        let body: String = response.text().await.unwrap_or_default();
+        let v: Value = serde_json::from_str(&body).unwrap_or_default();
+
+        // Extract only the message part of the JSON
+        let text: String = v["message"].as_str().unwrap_or("").to_string();
+
         match status {
             StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST => HeliusError::BadRequest { path, text },
             StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED | StatusCode::FORBIDDEN => HeliusError::Unauthorized { path, text },
diff --git a/src/request_handler.rs b/src/request_handler.rs
index 1ab8f19..88b08e3 100644
--- a/src/request_handler.rs
+++ b/src/request_handler.rs
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ impl RequestHandler {
 
         match status {
             StatusCode::OK | StatusCode::CREATED => response.json::<T>().await.map_err(HeliusError::SerdeJson),
-            _ => {
-                let error_text = response.text().await.unwrap_or_else(|_| "Failed to read response body".to_string());
-                Err(HeliusError::from_response_status(status, path, error_text))
-            }
+            _ => Err(HeliusError::from_response_status(status, path, response).await),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_request_handler.rs b/tests/test_request_handler.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f08c0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_request_handler.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+use helius_sdk::error::{HeliusError, Result};
+use helius_sdk::request_handler::RequestHandler;
+
+use mockito::{self, Server};
+use reqwest::{Client, Method};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Default)]
+struct MockResponse {
+    message: String,
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_successful_request() {
+    let mut server: Server = Server::new_with_opts_async(mockito::ServerOpts::default()).await;
+    let url: String = server.url();
+
+    server
+        .mock("GET", "/")
+        .with_status(200)
+        .with_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        .with_body(r#"{"message": "success"}"#)
+        .create();
+
+    let client: Arc<Client> = Arc::new(Client::new());
+    let handler: RequestHandler = RequestHandler::new(client).unwrap();
+
+    let response: Result<MockResponse> = handler
+        .send::<(), MockResponse>(Method::GET, url.parse().unwrap(), None)
+        .await;
+
+    assert!(response.is_ok());
+    assert_eq!(response.unwrap().message, "success");
+
+    server.reset();
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_bad_request_error() {
+    let mut server: Server = Server::new_with_opts_async(mockito::ServerOpts::default()).await;
+    let url: String = server.url();
+
+    server
+        .mock("GET", "/")
+        .with_status(400)
+        .with_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        .with_body(r#"{"message": "bad request"}"#)
+        .create();
+
+    let client: Arc<Client> = Arc::new(Client::new());
+    let handler: RequestHandler = RequestHandler::new(client).unwrap();
+
+    let response: Result<MockResponse> = handler
+        .send::<(), MockResponse>(Method::GET, url.parse().unwrap(), None)
+        .await;
+
+    assert!(response.is_err());
+    match response {
+        Err(HeliusError::BadRequest { text, .. }) => assert_eq!(text, "bad request"),
+        _ => panic!("Expected BadRequest error"),
+    }
+
+    server.reset();
+}