diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index f2511cc..6c0bb46 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -411,9 +411,16 @@ const loadSecretsViaConnect = async (
 			const secretValue = await getSecretFromConnectItem(client, item, parsed);
 			setResolvedSecret(envName, secretValue, shouldExportEnv);
 		} catch (err) {
-			const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+			const msg =
+			  err instanceof Error
+				? err.message
+				: err && typeof err === "object" && "message" in err
+				  ? String((err as { message?: unknown }).message)
+				  : err && typeof err === "object"
+					? JSON.stringify(err)
+					: String(err);
 			throw new Error(`Failed to load ref "${ref}": ${msg}`);
-		}
+		  }
 	}
 
 	if (shouldExportEnv) {