diff --git a/.changeset/thick-tools-jam.md b/.changeset/thick-tools-jam.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..50d6b95c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/thick-tools-jam.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@graphprotocol/graph-cli': patch
+---
+
+improve error handling for `graph deploy`
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts
index 5122750a..c538eecc 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { updateSubgraphNetwork } from '../command-helpers/network';
 import { chooseNodeUrl, getHostedServiceSubgraphId } from '../command-helpers/node';
 import { assertGraphTsVersion, assertManifestApiVersion } from '../command-helpers/version';
 import { GRAPH_CLI_SHARED_HEADERS } from '../constants';
+import debugFactory from '../debug';
 import Protocol from '../protocols';
 
 const headersFlag = Flags.custom<Record<string, string>>({
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ const headersFlag = Flags.custom<Record<string, string>>({
 
 const productOptions = ['subgraph-studio', 'hosted-service'];
 
+const deployDebugger = debugFactory('graph-cli:deploy');
+
 export default class DeployCommand extends Command {
   static description = 'Deploys a subgraph to a Graph node.';
 
@@ -205,17 +208,21 @@ export default class DeployCommand extends Command {
           // @ts-expect-error TODO: why are the arguments not typed?
           res,
         ) => {
+          deployDebugger('requestError: %O', requestError);
+          deployDebugger('jsonRpcError: %O', jsonRpcError);
           if (jsonRpcError) {
-            let errorMessage = `Failed to deploy to Graph node ${requestUrl}: ${jsonRpcError.message}`;
+            const message = jsonRpcError?.message || jsonRpcError?.code?.toString();
+            deployDebugger('message: %O', message);
+            let errorMessage = `Failed to deploy to Graph node ${requestUrl}: ${message}`;
 
             // Provide helpful advice when the subgraph has not been created yet
-            if (jsonRpcError.message.match(/subgraph name not found/)) {
+            if (message?.match(/subgraph name not found/)) {
               errorMessage += `
         Make sure to create the subgraph first by running the following command:
         $ graph create --node ${node} ${subgraphName}`;
             }
 
-            if (jsonRpcError.message.match(/auth failure/)) {
+            if (message?.match(/auth failure/)) {
               errorMessage += '\nYou may need to authenticate first.';
             }
 
@@ -336,11 +343,15 @@ export default class DeployCommand extends Command {
           // @ts-expect-error TODO: why are the arguments not typed?
           res,
         ) => {
+          deployDebugger('requestError: %O', requestError);
+          deployDebugger('jsonRpcError: %O', jsonRpcError);
           if (jsonRpcError) {
-            let errorMessage = `Failed to deploy to Graph node ${requestUrl}: ${jsonRpcError.message}`;
+            const message = jsonRpcError?.message || jsonRpcError?.code?.toString();
+            deployDebugger('message: %O', message);
+            let errorMessage = `Failed to deploy to Graph node ${requestUrl}: ${message}`;
 
             // Provide helpful advice when the subgraph has not been created yet
-            if (jsonRpcError.message.match(/subgraph name not found/)) {
+            if (message?.match(/subgraph name not found/)) {
               if (isHostedService) {
                 errorMessage +=
                   '\nYou may need to create it at https://thegraph.com/explorer/dashboard.';
@@ -350,7 +361,7 @@ export default class DeployCommand extends Command {
       $ graph create --node ${node} ${subgraphName}`;
               }
             }
-            if (jsonRpcError.message.match(/auth failure/)) {
+            if (message?.match(/auth failure/)) {
               errorMessage += '\nYou may need to authenticate first.';
             }
             spinner.fail(errorMessage);
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index f3c7be19..d882aecf 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ importers:
   examples/arweave-blocks-transactions:
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ importers:
         version: 6.26.0
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ importers:
         version: 6.26.0
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ importers:
         version: 6.26.0
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ importers:
         version: 6.26.0
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ importers:
         version: 5.0.4
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ importers:
   examples/ethereum-gravatar:
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ importers:
   examples/matic-lens-protocol-posts-subgraph:
     dependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ importers:
   examples/near-blocks:
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ importers:
   examples/near-receipts:
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
       '@graphprotocol/graph-ts':
         specifier: 0.33.0
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ importers:
   examples/substreams-powered-subgraph:
     devDependencies:
       '@graphprotocol/graph-cli':
-        specifier: 0.68.0
+        specifier: 0.68.3
         version: link:../../packages/cli
 
   packages/cli: