diff --git a/internal/httputil/http.go b/internal/httputil/http.go
index da048bc54..e2d98623b 100644
--- a/internal/httputil/http.go
+++ b/internal/httputil/http.go
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ func PostJSON[reqtype, restype any, errtype error](
 	}
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		var errorBody errtype
-		if msgerr := json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errorBody); msgerr == nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("internal API: %d from %s with unparsable error body", res.StatusCode, apiURL)
+		if msgerr := json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errorBody); msgerr != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("internal API: %d from %s (failed to decode error: %s)", res.StatusCode, apiURL, msgerr)
 		}
 		return errorBody
 	}
diff --git a/internal/httputil/internalapi.go b/internal/httputil/internalapi.go
index 6626d0776..5dcc596cc 100644
--- a/internal/httputil/internalapi.go
+++ b/internal/httputil/internalapi.go
@@ -63,8 +63,5 @@ func CallInternalProxyAPI[req, res any, errtype error](name, url string, client
 	defer span.Finish()
 
 	var response res
-	if err := PostJSON[req, res, errtype](ctx, span, client, url, request, &response); err != nil {
-		return response, err
-	}
-	return response, nil
+	return response, PostJSON[req, res, errtype](ctx, span, client, url, request, &response)
 }
diff --git a/userapi/userapi_test.go b/userapi/userapi_test.go
index 40e37c5d6..31a69793b 100644
--- a/userapi/userapi_test.go
+++ b/userapi/userapi_test.go
@@ -117,16 +117,20 @@ func TestQueryProfile(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	runCases := func(testAPI api.UserInternalAPI) {
+	runCases := func(testAPI api.UserInternalAPI, http bool) {
+		mode := "monolith"
+		if http {
+			mode = "HTTP"
+		}
 		for _, tc := range testCases {
 			var gotRes api.QueryProfileResponse
 			gotErr := testAPI.QueryProfile(context.TODO(), &tc.req, &gotRes)
 			if tc.wantErr == nil && gotErr != nil || tc.wantErr != nil && gotErr == nil {
-				t.Errorf("QueryProfile error, got %s want %s", gotErr, tc.wantErr)
+				t.Errorf("QueryProfile %s error, got %s want %s", mode, gotErr, tc.wantErr)
 				continue
 			}
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(tc.wantRes, gotRes) {
-				t.Errorf("QueryProfile response got %+v want %+v", gotRes, tc.wantRes)
+				t.Errorf("QueryProfile %s response got %+v want %+v", mode, gotRes, tc.wantRes)
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -140,10 +144,10 @@ func TestQueryProfile(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to create HTTP client")
 		}
-		runCases(httpAPI)
+		runCases(httpAPI, true)
 	})
 	t.Run("Monolith", func(t *testing.T) {
-		runCases(userAPI)
+		runCases(userAPI, false)
 	})
 }