diff --git a/src/plugins/ssh/index.ts b/src/plugins/ssh/index.ts
index a231892..d84ddbd 100644
--- a/src/plugins/ssh/index.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/ssh/index.ts
@@ -116,11 +116,6 @@ type SpawnSshNodeOptions = {
   isAccessPropagationPreTest?: boolean;
 };
 
-/** Starts an SSM session in the terminal by spawning `aws ssm` as a subprocess
- *
- * Requires `aws ssm` to be installed on the client machine.
- */
-
 async function spawnSshNode(
   options: SpawnSshNodeOptions
 ): Promise<number | null> {
@@ -183,7 +178,15 @@ async function spawnSshNode(
       }
 
       options.abortController?.abort(code);
-      if (!options.isAccessPropagationPreTest) print2(`SSH session terminated`);
+
+      if (code && code !== 0) {
+        print2(
+          `Failed to establish an SSH session.${!options.debug ? " Use the --debug option to see additional details." : ""}`
+        );
+      } else if (!options.isAccessPropagationPreTest) {
+        print2(`SSH session terminated`);
+      }
+
       resolve(code);
     });
   });
@@ -386,8 +389,10 @@ export const sshOrScp = async (args: {
     proxyCommand,
     credential
   );
+
+  // Only exit if there was an error when pre-testing
   if (exitCode && exitCode !== 0) {
-    return exitCode; // Only exit if there was an error when pre-testing
+    return exitCode;
   }
 
   return spawnSshNode({