diff --git a/hildr-node/src/main/java/io/optimism/driver/EngineDriver.java b/hildr-node/src/main/java/io/optimism/driver/EngineDriver.java
index 80d0746b..bd933051 100644
--- a/hildr-node/src/main/java/io/optimism/driver/EngineDriver.java
+++ b/hildr-node/src/main/java/io/optimism/driver/EngineDriver.java
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ private void updateForkchoice() throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException
             var forkChoiceUpdate = forkChoiceUpdateFuture.get();
             if (forkChoiceUpdate.hasError()) {
                 throw new ForkchoiceUpdateException(
-                        "could not accept new forkchoice: %s".formatted(forkChoiceUpdate.getError()));
+                        "could not accept new forkchoice: %s".formatted(forkChoiceUpdate.getError().getMessage()));
             }
             var forkChoiceUpdateStatus = forkChoiceUpdate.getForkChoiceUpdate().payloadStatus();
             var updateStatus = forkChoiceUpdateStatus.getStatus();