diff --git a/bash/create_deployment.sh b/bash/create_deployment.sh
index bf773bf..47db3ad 100644
--- a/bash/create_deployment.sh
+++ b/bash/create_deployment.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ function call_api {
     -H "Umbraco-Cloud-Api-Key: $apiKey" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d "{\"commitMessage\":\"$commitMessage\"}")
+
   responseCode=${response: -3}  
   content=${response%???}
 
@@ -36,12 +37,20 @@ function call_api {
       return
     fi
   fi
-
+  
   ## Let errors bubble forward 
-  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode"
-  echo "---Response Start---"
-  echo $content
-  echo "---Response End---"
+  errorResponse=$content
+  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode - More details below"
+  # Check if the input is valid JSON
+  echo "$errorResponse" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "--- Response RAW ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse
+  else 
+      echo "--- Response JSON formatted ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse | jq .
+  fi
+  echo "\n---Response End---"
   exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/bash/get_changes_by_id.sh b/bash/get_changes_by_id.sh
index bc63ff6..1c2900d 100644
--- a/bash/get_changes_by_id.sh
+++ b/bash/get_changes_by_id.sh
@@ -45,10 +45,20 @@ function get_changes {
     remoteChanges="yes"
     return
   fi
-  echo "---Response Start---"
-  echo $filePath
-  echo -e "\n---Response End---"
-  echo "Unexpected response - see above"
+
+  ## Let errors bubble forward 
+  errorResponse=$filePath
+  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode - More details below"
+  # Check if the input is valid JSON
+  cat "$errorResponse" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "--- Response RAW ---"
+      cat "$errorResponse"
+  else 
+      echo "--- Response JSON formatted ---"
+      cat "$errorResponse" | jq .
+  fi
+  echo "---Response End---"
   exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/bash/get_deployment_status.sh b/bash/get_deployment_status.sh
index 9fb510d..45b77f1 100644
--- a/bash/get_deployment_status.sh
+++ b/bash/get_deployment_status.sh
@@ -41,10 +41,18 @@ function call_api {
   fi
 
   ## Let errors bubble forward 
-  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode"
-  echo "---Response Start---"
-  echo $content
-  echo "---Response End---"
+  errorResponse=$content
+  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode - More details below"
+  # Check if the input is valid JSON
+  echo "$errorResponse" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "--- Response RAW ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse
+  else 
+      echo "--- Response JSON formatted ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse | jq .
+  fi
+  echo "\n---Response End---"
   exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/bash/get_latest_deployment.sh b/bash/get_latest_deployment.sh
index a91c578..5e4f163 100644
--- a/bash/get_latest_deployment.sh
+++ b/bash/get_latest_deployment.sh
@@ -48,12 +48,20 @@ function call_api {
 
     return
   fi
-  ## Let errors bubble forward 
-  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode"
-  echo "---Response Start---"
-  echo $response
-  echo "---Response End---"
 
+  ## Let errors bubble forward 
+  errorResponse=$response
+  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode - More details below"
+  # Check if the input is valid JSON
+  echo "$errorResponse" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "--- Response RAW ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse
+  else 
+      echo "--- Response JSON formatted ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse | jq .
+  fi
+  echo "\n---Response End---"
   exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/bash/start_deployment.sh b/bash/start_deployment.sh
index 83c9700..5e540e7 100644
--- a/bash/start_deployment.sh
+++ b/bash/start_deployment.sh
@@ -36,11 +36,20 @@ function call_api {
   fi
 
   ## Let errors bubble forward 
-  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode"
-  echo "---Response Start---"
-  echo $content
-  echo "---Response End---"
+  errorResponse=$content
+  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode - More details below"
+  # Check if the input is valid JSON
+  echo "$errorResponse" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "--- Response RAW ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse
+  else 
+      echo "--- Response JSON formatted ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse | jq .
+  fi
+  echo "\n---Response End---"
   exit 1
+  
 }
 
 call_api
diff --git a/bash/upload_package.sh b/bash/upload_package.sh
index fe8d852..1f335a3 100644
--- a/bash/upload_package.sh
+++ b/bash/upload_package.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ if [[ -z "$baseUrl" ]]; then
     baseUrl="https://api.cloud.umbraco.com"
 fi
 
+if [[ -z "$filePath" ]]; then
+  echo "filePath is empty"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "$filePath" ]]; then
+  echo "filePath does not contain a file"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 ### Endpoint docs
 # https://docs.umbraco.com/umbraco-cloud/set-up/project-settings/umbraco-cicd/umbracocloudapi#upload-zip-source-file
 #
@@ -32,10 +42,18 @@ function call_api {
   fi
 
   ## Let errors bubble forward 
-  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode"
-  echo "---Response Start---"
-  echo $content
-  echo "---Response End---"
+  errorResponse=$content
+  echo "Unexpected API Response Code: $responseCode - More details below"
+  # Check if the input is valid JSON
+  echo "$errorResponse" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "--- Response RAW ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse
+  else 
+      echo "--- Response JSON formatted ---\n"
+      echo $errorResponse | jq .
+  fi
+  echo "\n---Response End---"
   exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/powershell/Add-DeploymentPackage.ps1 b/powershell/Add-DeploymentPackage.ps1
index e312746..5086829 100644
--- a/powershell/Add-DeploymentPackage.ps1
+++ b/powershell/Add-DeploymentPackage.ps1
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ param(
     [Parameter(Position=1)]
     [string] 
     $DeploymentId,
-    
+   
     [Parameter(Position=2)]
     [string] 
     $ApiKey,
@@ -20,11 +20,24 @@ param(
     $BaseUrl = "https://api.cloud.umbraco.com"
 )
 
+
 ### Endpoint docs
 # https://docs.umbraco.com/umbraco-cloud/set-up/project-settings/umbraco-cicd/umbracocloudapi#upload-zip-source-file
 #
 $url = "$BaseUrl/v1/projects/$ProjectId/deployments/$DeploymentId/package"
 
+# test if file is present
+if (-not $filePath) {
+    Write-Host "filePath is empty"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+if (-not (Test-Path -Path $filePath -PathType Leaf)) {
+    Write-Host "filePath does not contain a file"
+    exit 1
+}
+# end test
+
 $fieldName = 'file'
 $contentType = 'application/zip'
 $umbracoHeader = @{ 'Umbraco-Cloud-Api-Key' = $ApiKey }
@@ -58,6 +71,12 @@ try {
 catch 
 {
     Write-Host "---Error---"
-    Write-Host $_
+    Write-Host $_.Exception.Message
+    if ($_.Exception.Response -ne $null) {
+        $responseStream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
+        $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($responseStream)
+        $responseBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+        Write-Host "Response Body: $responseBody"
+    }
     exit 1
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/powershell/Get-ChangesById.ps1 b/powershell/Get-ChangesById.ps1
index c132fff..a68191d 100644
--- a/powershell/Get-ChangesById.ps1
+++ b/powershell/Get-ChangesById.ps1
@@ -89,6 +89,12 @@ try {
 }
 catch {
   Write-Host "---Error---"
-  Write-Host $_
+  Write-Host $_.Exception.Message
+  if ($_.Exception.Response -ne $null) {
+      $responseStream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
+      $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($responseStream)
+      $responseBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+      Write-Host "Response Body: $responseBody"
+  }
   exit 1
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/powershell/Get-LatestDeployment.ps1 b/powershell/Get-LatestDeployment.ps1
index 31e59d5..7764a66 100644
--- a/powershell/Get-LatestDeployment.ps1
+++ b/powershell/Get-LatestDeployment.ps1
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@ try{
 }
 catch {
     Write-Host "---Error---"
-    Write-Host $_
+    Write-Host $_.Exception.Message
+    if ($_.Exception.Response -ne $null) {
+        $responseStream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
+        $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($responseStream)
+        $responseBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+        Write-Host "Response Body: $responseBody"
+    }
     exit 1
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/powershell/New-Deployment.ps1 b/powershell/New-Deployment.ps1
index d6e0991..d000c7f 100644
--- a/powershell/New-Deployment.ps1
+++ b/powershell/New-Deployment.ps1
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ try {
 }
 catch {
     Write-Host "---Error---"
-    Write-Host $_
+    Write-Host $_.Exception.Message
+    if ($_.Exception.Response -ne $null) {
+        $responseStream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
+        $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($responseStream)
+        $responseBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+        Write-Host "Response Body: $responseBody"
+    }
     exit 1
 }
diff --git a/powershell/Start-Deployment.ps1 b/powershell/Start-Deployment.ps1
index 80fc675..05a163a 100644
--- a/powershell/Start-Deployment.ps1
+++ b/powershell/Start-Deployment.ps1
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ try {
 }
 catch {
     Write-Host "---Error---"
-    Write-Host $_
+    Write-Host $_.Exception.Message
+    if ($_.Exception.Response -ne $null) {
+        $responseStream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
+        $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($responseStream)
+        $responseBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+        Write-Host "Response Body: $responseBody"
+    }
     exit 1
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/powershell/Test-DeploymentStatus.ps1 b/powershell/Test-DeploymentStatus.ps1
index 21387a0..b48f128 100644
--- a/powershell/Test-DeploymentStatus.ps1
+++ b/powershell/Test-DeploymentStatus.ps1
@@ -47,7 +47,13 @@ function Request-Deployment-Status ([INT]$run){
     catch 
     {
         Write-Host "---Error---"
-        Write-Host $_
+        Write-Host $_.Exception.Message
+        if ($_.Exception.Response -ne $null) {
+            $responseStream = $_.Exception.Response.GetResponseStream()
+            $reader = New-Object System.IO.StreamReader($responseStream)
+            $responseBody = $reader.ReadToEnd()
+            Write-Host "Response Body: $responseBody"
+        }
         exit 1
     }
 }