diff --git a/www/core/components/course/lang/en.json b/www/core/components/course/lang/en.json
index 8c6cb9d35c1..4843f66dcdf 100644
--- a/www/core/components/course/lang/en.json
+++ b/www/core/components/course/lang/en.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     "couldnotloadsections": "Could not load the sections. Please try again later.",
     "downloadcourse": "Download course",
     "errordownloadingcourse": "Error downloading course.",
+    "errordownloadingcoursewithname": "<p>Error downloading course: {{name}}</p><p>{{error}}</p>",
     "errordownloadingsection": "Error downloading section.",
     "errorgetmodule": "Error getting activity data.",
     "hiddenfromstudents": "Hidden from students",
diff --git a/www/core/components/course/services/helper.js b/www/core/components/course/services/helper.js
index 707ad61d08d..255b0a85f63 100644
--- a/www/core/components/course/services/helper.js
+++ b/www/core/components/course/services/helper.js
@@ -848,7 +848,9 @@ angular.module('mm.core.course')
             // Prefetch course options.
             angular.forEach(courseOptions, function(option) {
                 if (option.prefetch) {
-                    promises.push($q.when(option.prefetch(course)));
+                    promises.push($q.when(option.prefetch(course)).catch(function() {
+                        // Ignore errors when downloading course options.
+                    }));
                 }
             });
 
@@ -978,6 +980,15 @@ angular.module('mm.core.course')
                     return self.prefetchCourse(course, sections, handlers, siteId);
                 }).catch(function(error) {
                     success = false;
+
+                    // Try to improve the error message, including the course name.
+                    if (course && course.fullname) {
+                        error = $translate.instant('mm.course.errordownloadingcoursewithname', {
+                            name: course.fullname,
+                            error: error || ''
+                        });
+                    }
+
                     return $q.reject(error);
                 }).finally(function() {
                     // Course downloaded or failed, notify the progress.
diff --git a/www/core/lib/util.js b/www/core/lib/util.js
index 6f7cfb720a3..0f26744ec0c 100644
--- a/www/core/lib/util.js
+++ b/www/core/lib/util.js
@@ -1246,20 +1246,24 @@ angular.module('mm.core')
 
             var count = 0,
                 failed = false,
+                error,
                 deferred = $q.defer();
 
             angular.forEach(promises, function(promise) {
-                promise.catch(function() {
+                promise.catch(function(err) {
                     failed = true;
+                    error = err;
                 }).finally(function() {
                     count++;
 
                     if (count === promises.length) {
                         // All promises have finished, reject/resolve.
                         if (failed) {
-                            deferred.reject();
+                            deferred.reject(error);
                         } else {
-                            deferred.resolve();
+                            // All the promises have been resolved, $q.all should finish immediately and send back the result
+                            // of all the promises.
+                            deferred.resolve($q.all(promises));
                         }
                     }
                 });