diff --git a/src/wallet.rs b/src/wallet.rs
index 88a0ea2541..d279b18d27 100644
--- a/src/wallet.rs
+++ b/src/wallet.rs
@@ -109,10 +109,16 @@ impl Wallet {
         if !no_sync {
           for i in 0.. {
             let response = async_ord_client.get("/blockcount").await?;
-            if response.text().await?.parse::<u64>().unwrap() >= chain_block_count {
+            if response
+              .text()
+              .await?
+              .parse::<u64>()
+              .expect("wallet failed to talk to server. Make sure `ord server` is running.")
+              >= chain_block_count
+            {
               break;
             } else if i == 20 {
-              bail!("wallet failed to synchronize with ord server");
+              bail!("wallet failed to synchronize with `ord server` after {i} attempts");
             }
             tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50)).await;
           }
diff --git a/tests/wallet/balance.rs b/tests/wallet/balance.rs
index 120029a895..d7d3e626b2 100644
--- a/tests/wallet/balance.rs
+++ b/tests/wallet/balance.rs
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ fn unsynced_wallet_fails_with_unindexed_output() {
     .ord_rpc_server(&no_sync_ord_rpc_server)
     .bitcoin_rpc_server(&bitcoin_rpc_server)
     .expected_exit_code(1)
-    .expected_stderr("error: wallet failed to synchronize with ord server\n")
+    .expected_stderr("error: wallet failed to synchronize with `ord server` after 20 attempts\n")
     .run_and_extract_stdout();
 
   CommandBuilder::new("wallet --no-sync balance")