diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index d28bcca470f..2c5fd7e797b 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@
 
 #include <boost/signals2/connection.hpp>
 #include <chrono>
+#include <exception>
 #include <memory>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QDebug>
@@ -680,7 +682,13 @@ int GuiMain(int argc, char* argv[])
         }
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(&e, "Runaway exception");
-        app.handleRunawayException(QString::fromStdString(app.node().getWarnings().translated));
+        std::string message = app.node().getWarnings().translated;
+        const std::string& what = e.what();
+        if (!message.empty() && !what.empty()) {
+            message += "\n\n";
+        }
+        message += what;
+        app.handleRunawayException(QString::fromStdString(message));
     } catch (...) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(nullptr, "Runaway exception");
         app.handleRunawayException(QString::fromStdString(app.node().getWarnings().translated));
diff --git a/src/qt/initexecutor.cpp b/src/qt/initexecutor.cpp
index bb3f970b555..b713c86bd66 100644
--- a/src/qt/initexecutor.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/initexecutor.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <util/threadnames.h>
 
 #include <exception>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QMetaObject>
@@ -34,7 +35,15 @@ InitExecutor::~InitExecutor()
 void InitExecutor::handleRunawayException(const std::exception* e)
 {
     PrintExceptionContinue(e, "Runaway exception");
-    Q_EMIT runawayException(QString::fromStdString(m_node.getWarnings().translated));
+    std::string message = m_node.getWarnings().translated;
+    if (e) {
+        const std::string& what = e->what();
+        if (!message.empty() && !what.empty()) {
+            message += "\n\n";
+        }
+        message += what;
+    }
+    Q_EMIT runawayException(QString::fromStdString(message));
 }
 
 void InitExecutor::initialize()