diff --git a/brainles_preprocessing/utils/zenodo.py b/brainles_preprocessing/utils/zenodo.py
index b43f9d7..e4b9f2b 100644
--- a/brainles_preprocessing/utils/zenodo.py
+++ b/brainles_preprocessing/utils/zenodo.py
@@ -137,9 +137,25 @@ def _get_metadata_and_archive_url(self) -> Tuple[Dict, str] | None:
         try:
             response = requests.get(f"{self.BASE_URL}/{self.record_id}")
             if response.status_code != 200:
+                # Include the response body for easier debugging.
+                # Zenodo returns JSON error details in the response body.
+                try:
+                    error_detail = response.json()
+                except ValueError:
+                    error_detail = response.text.strip()
+
+                if response.status_code == 404:
+                    error_prefix = (
+                        f"Cannot find record '{self.record_id}' on Zenodo"
+                    )
+                else:
+                    error_prefix = (
+                        f"Failed to fetch record '{self.record_id}' from Zenodo"
+                    )
                 error_msg = (
-                    f"Cannot find record '{self.record_id}' on Zenodo "
-                    f"({response.status_code=})."
+                    f"{error_prefix} "
+                    f"(status_code={response.status_code}). "
+                    f"Response: {error_detail}"
                 )
                 logger.error(error_msg)
                 raise ZenodoException(error_msg)
diff --git a/tests/test_zenodo.py b/tests/test_zenodo.py
index 7815b22..7653d4d 100644
--- a/tests/test_zenodo.py
+++ b/tests/test_zenodo.py
@@ -57,11 +57,28 @@ def test_get_metadata_and_archive_url_success(
 def test_get_metadata_and_archive_url_failure(monkeypatch):
     response_mock = MagicMock()
     response_mock.status_code = 404
+    response_mock.json.return_value = {
+        "message": "The record does not exist.",
+        "status": 404,
+    }
 
     monkeypatch.setattr("requests.get", lambda *args, **kwargs: response_mock)
     record = ZenodoRecord("invalid", Path("/tmp"), "test")
 
-    with pytest.raises(ZenodoException):
+    with pytest.raises(ZenodoException, match="The record does not exist"):
+        record._get_metadata_and_archive_url()
+
+
+def test_get_metadata_and_archive_url_failure_with_text_body(monkeypatch):
+    response_mock = MagicMock()
+    response_mock.status_code = 403
+    response_mock.json.side_effect = ValueError("No JSON")
+    response_mock.text = "Rate limit exceeded. Please try again later."
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("requests.get", lambda *args, **kwargs: response_mock)
+    record = ZenodoRecord("123", Path("/tmp"), "test")
+
+    with pytest.raises(ZenodoException, match="Rate limit exceeded"):
         record._get_metadata_and_archive_url()