diff --git a/qupulse/serialization.py b/qupulse/serialization.py
index 3825057ed..389748666 100644
--- a/qupulse/serialization.py
+++ b/qupulse/serialization.py
@@ -1024,7 +1024,11 @@ def filter_serializables(self, obj_dict) -> Any:
                 if get_default_pulse_registry() is self.storage:
                     registry = dict()
 
-                return deserialization_callback(identifier=obj_identifier, registry=registry, **obj_dict)
+                try:
+                    return deserialization_callback(identifier=obj_identifier, registry=registry, **obj_dict)
+                except Exception as err:
+                    raise ValueError(f"Unable to deserialize {type_identifier} from {obj_dict}",
+                                     type_identifier, obj_dict) from err
         return obj_dict
 
 
diff --git a/tests/serialization_tests.py b/tests/serialization_tests.py
index f230bd6da..1ebd93b8e 100644
--- a/tests/serialization_tests.py
+++ b/tests/serialization_tests.py
@@ -1051,9 +1051,12 @@ def test_deserialize_storage_is_not_default_registry_id_occupied(self) -> None:
         del pulse_storage
 
         pulse_storage = PulseStorage(backend)
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "Pulse with name already exists"):
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as cm:
             pulse_storage['peter']
 
+        # this is shitty
+        self.assertIsInstance(cm.exception.__cause__, RuntimeError)
+
     def test_deserialize_twice_same_object_storage_is_default_registry(self) -> None:
         backend = DummyStorageBackend()