diff --git a/appview/models/pipeline.go b/appview/models/pipeline.go
--- a/appview/models/pipeline.go
+++ b/appview/models/pipeline.go
@@ -174,6 +174,31 @@
 	ExitCode     int
 }
 
+func (ps PipelineStatus) ErrorMessage() string {
+	if ps.Error == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	line, _, _ := strings.Cut(*ps.Error, "\n")
+	return line
+}
+
+func (ps PipelineStatus) ErrorDetails() string {
+	if ps.Error == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	_, rest, _ := strings.Cut(*ps.Error, "\n")
+	if rest == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	const truncateTo = 15
+	lines := strings.Split(rest, "\n")
+	if len(lines) <= truncateTo {
+		return rest
+	}
+	return strings.Join(lines[:truncateTo], "\n") + "\n…"
+}
+
 func (ps *PipelineStatus) PipelineAt() syntax.ATURI {
 	return syntax.ATURI(fmt.Sprintf("at://did:web:%s/%s/%s", ps.PipelineKnot, tangled.PipelineNSID, ps.PipelineRkey))
 }
diff --git a/appview/pages/templates/repo/pipelines/workflow.html b/appview/pages/templates/repo/pipelines/workflow.html
--- a/appview/pages/templates/repo/pipelines/workflow.html
+++ b/appview/pages/templates/repo/pipelines/workflow.html
@@ -30,7 +30,12 @@
       {{ if .Error }}
       <div class="mb-2 flex items-start gap-2 p-3 rounded border border-red-200 dark:border-red-900/60 bg-red-50/60 dark:bg-red-950/20 text-red-700 dark:text-red-400 text-sm">
         {{ i "triangle-alert" "size-4 shrink-0 mt-0.5" }}
-        <span class="font-mono break-words whitespace-pre-wrap">{{- .Error -}}</span>
+        <div class="flex-1 min-w-0">
+          <div class="break-words whitespace-pre-wrap">{{- .ErrorMessage -}}</div>
+          {{- with .ErrorDetails }}
+          <div class="font-mono break-words whitespace-pre-wrap">{{- . -}}</div>
+          {{- end }}
+        </div>
       </div>
       {{ end }}
     {{ end }}