diff --git a/e2e/verifiable-credentials.service.e2e.ts b/e2e/verifiable-credentials.service.e2e.ts
index 11bf38ca..4daf8ab2 100644
--- a/e2e/verifiable-credentials.service.e2e.ts
+++ b/e2e/verifiable-credentials.service.e2e.ts
@@ -409,21 +409,13 @@ describe('Verifiable credentials tests', () => {
         ]);
       (axios as jest.Mocked<typeof axios>).post.mockImplementation((url) => {
         return Promise.resolve({
-          data: url === exchangeUrl ? vpRequest : '',
+          data: url === exchangeUrl ? { errors: [], vpRequest } : '',
         });
       });
       getClaimsBySubject.mockResolvedValue([{ vp }]);
     });
 
     test('initiateExchange() should return presentation matching presentation request', async () => {
-      (axios as jest.Mocked<typeof axios>).post.mockImplementationOnce(
-        (url) => {
-          return Promise.resolve({
-            data: url === exchangeUrl ? vpRequest : '',
-          });
-        }
-      );
-
       const {
         selections: [{ selectResults }],
       } = await verifiableCredentialsService.initiateExchange({
diff --git a/src/modules/verifiable-credentials/verifiable-credentials-base.service.ts b/src/modules/verifiable-credentials/verifiable-credentials-base.service.ts
index 9e4146c4..ef8fe808 100644
--- a/src/modules/verifiable-credentials/verifiable-credentials-base.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/verifiable-credentials/verifiable-credentials-base.service.ts
@@ -157,7 +157,12 @@ export abstract class VerifiableCredentialsServiceBase {
       throw new Error('Only VC-API exchange is supported');
     }
 
-    const { data: vpRequest } = await axios.post<VpRequest>(url);
+    const {
+      data: { errors, vpRequest },
+    } = await axios.post<{ errors: string[]; vpRequest: VpRequest }>(url);
+    if (errors.length > 0) {
+      throw new Error(`Error initiating exchange: ${JSON.stringify(errors)}`);
+    }
     const credentialQuery = vpRequest.query.find(
       (q) => q.type === VpRequestQueryType.presentationDefinition
     )?.credentialQuery as VpRequestPresentationDefinitionQuery[];