diff --git a/packages/build-tools/src/steps/functions/saveCache.ts b/packages/build-tools/src/steps/functions/saveCache.ts
index 16d968bb26..7595af23d5 100644
--- a/packages/build-tools/src/steps/functions/saveCache.ts
+++ b/packages/build-tools/src/steps/functions/saveCache.ts
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ export async function uploadCacheAsync({
       return;
     }
     const textResult = await asyncResult(response.text());
+    const errorMessage = extractValidationErrorMessage(textResult.value);
+    if (errorMessage) {
+      throw new Error(errorMessage);
+    }
     throw new Error(`Unexpected response from server (${response.status}): ${textResult.value}`);
   }
 
@@ -231,6 +235,19 @@ export async function uploadPublicCacheAsync({
   logger.info(`Uploaded cache archive to ${archivePath} (${formatBytes(size)}).`);
 }
 
+function extractValidationErrorMessage(body: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (!body) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  try {
+    const { errors } = JSON.parse(body);
+    if (errors?.[0]?.code === 'VALIDATION_ERROR') {
+      return errors[0].message;
+    }
+  } catch {}
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 export async function compressCacheAsync({
   paths,
   workingDirectory,