diff --git a/app/clients/document_download.py b/app/clients/document_download.py
index 5908c880e5..7a5ceaaf5c 100644
--- a/app/clients/document_download.py
+++ b/app/clients/document_download.py
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ def from_exception(cls, e):
             message = e.response.json()["error"]
             status_code = e.response.status_code
         except (TypeError, ValueError, AttributeError, KeyError):
-            message = "connection error"
-            status_code = 503
+            message = "error connecting to document download"
+            status_code = e.response.status_code if e.response else 503
 
         return cls(message, status_code)
 
diff --git a/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py b/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py
index dd0960a0b0..4dffabb7a4 100644
--- a/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py
+++ b/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py
@@ -101,5 +101,4 @@ def test_should_raise_for_connection_errors(document_download):
 
         document_download.upload_document("service-id", {"file": "abababab", "sending_method": "attach"})
 
-    assert excinfo.value.message == "connection error"
-    assert excinfo.value.status_code == 503
+    assert excinfo.value.message == "error connecting to document download"