diff --git a/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure.go b/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure.go
index d4cbab72..256954b4 100644
--- a/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure.go
+++ b/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure.go
@@ -695,11 +695,19 @@ func chromiumDisplayApplyWhileStopped(ctx context.Context, s *ApiService, plan *
 		err = s.setResolutionXorgViaXrandr(ctx, w, h, rr, false)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
-		return cfg500ConfigureStep(chromiumConfigureStepDisplay, err.Error())
+		s.logDisplayConfigureFailure(ctx, "chromium configure display step failed", w, h, rr, mode, err)
+		return chromiumDisplayConfigureFailureResponse(err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+func chromiumDisplayConfigureFailureResponse(err error) oapi.ChromiumConfigureResponseObject {
+	if msg, ok := displayClientErrorMessage(err); ok {
+		return cfg400(fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", chromiumConfigureStepDisplay, msg))
+	}
+	return cfg500ConfigureStep(chromiumConfigureStepDisplay, err.Error())
+}
+
 func chromiumRunPatchDisplay(ctx context.Context, s *ApiService, body *oapi.PatchDisplayJSONRequestBody) oapi.ChromiumConfigureResponseObject {
 	resp, err := s.PatchDisplay(ctx, oapi.PatchDisplayRequestObject{Body: body})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure_test.go b/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure_test.go
index e4f44f04..33d31709 100644
--- a/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure_test.go
+++ b/server/cmd/api/api/chromium_configure_test.go
@@ -3,11 +3,14 @@ package api
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"mime/multipart"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/nekoclient"
+	oapi "github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/oapi"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
@@ -118,6 +121,24 @@ func TestChromiumParseDisplayPartsValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, "display payload empty", msg)
 }
 
+func TestChromiumDisplayConfigureFailureResponse(t *testing.T) {
+	clientErr := fmt.Errorf("failed to change screen configuration: %w", &nekoclient.StatusError{
+		StatusCode: 422,
+		Body:       `{"code":422,"message":"cannot set screen size"}`,
+	})
+	resp := chromiumDisplayConfigureFailureResponse(clientErr)
+
+	badReq, ok := resp.(oapi.ChromiumConfigure400JSONResponse)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	require.Contains(t, badReq.Message, "display:")
+	require.Contains(t, badReq.Message, "cannot set screen size")
+
+	serverErr := errors.New("xrandr failed")
+	resp = chromiumDisplayConfigureFailureResponse(serverErr)
+	_, ok = resp.(oapi.ChromiumConfigure500JSONResponse)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+}
+
 func TestChromiumCfgParseMultipart(t *testing.T) {
 	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 	w := multipart.NewWriter(buf)
diff --git a/server/cmd/api/api/display.go b/server/cmd/api/api/display.go
index 955320e3..88d2ee99 100644
--- a/server/cmd/api/api/display.go
+++ b/server/cmd/api/api/display.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package api
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/base64"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"os"
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/cdpclient"
 	"github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/logger"
+	"github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/nekoclient"
 	oapi "github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/oapi"
 	"github.com/kernel/kernel-images/server/lib/recorder"
 	nekooapi "github.com/m1k1o/neko/server/lib/oapi"
@@ -162,7 +164,12 @@ func (s *ApiService) PatchDisplay(ctx context.Context, req oapi.PatchDisplayRequ
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Error("failed to change resolution", "error", err)
+		s.logDisplayConfigureFailure(ctx, "failed to change resolution", width, height, refreshRate, displayMode, err)
+		if msg, ok := displayClientErrorMessage(err); ok {
+			return oapi.PatchDisplay400JSONResponse{
+				BadRequestErrorJSONResponse: oapi.BadRequestErrorJSONResponse{Message: msg},
+			}, nil
+		}
 		return oapi.PatchDisplay500JSONResponse{
 			InternalErrorJSONResponse: oapi.InternalErrorJSONResponse{
 				Message: fmt.Sprintf("failed to change resolution: %s", err.Error()),
@@ -713,3 +720,48 @@ func (s *ApiService) setResolutionViaNeko(ctx context.Context, width, height, re
 	log.Info("successfully changed resolution via Neko API", "width", width, "height", height, "refresh_rate", refreshRate)
 	return nil
 }
+
+func displayClientErrorMessage(err error) (string, bool) {
+	var statusErr *nekoclient.StatusError
+	if errors.As(err, &statusErr) && statusErr.IsClientError() {
+		return err.Error(), true
+	}
+	return "", false
+}
+
+func (s *ApiService) logDisplayConfigureFailure(ctx context.Context, msg string, width, height, refreshRate int, displayMode string, err error) {
+	attrs := []any{
+		"error", err,
+		"requested_width", width,
+		"requested_height", height,
+		"requested_refresh_rate", refreshRate,
+		"display_mode", displayMode,
+		"neko_enabled", s.isNekoEnabled(),
+	}
+	attrs = append(attrs, runtimeMetadataAttrs()...)
+	logger.FromContext(ctx).Error(msg, attrs...)
+}
+
+func runtimeMetadataAttrs() []any {
+	attrs := make([]any, 0, 16)
+	if hostname, err := os.Hostname(); err == nil && strings.TrimSpace(hostname) != "" {
+		attrs = append(attrs, "hostname", hostname)
+	}
+	for _, env := range []struct {
+		attr string
+		key  string
+	}{
+		{"instance_name", "INST_NAME"},
+		{"metro", "METRO_NAME"},
+		{"image", "IMAGE"},
+		{"image_name", "KERNEL_IMAGE"},
+		{"image_tag", "KERNEL_IMAGE_TAG"},
+		{"image_sha", "KERNEL_IMAGE_SHA"},
+		{"s2_stream", "S2_STREAM"},
+	} {
+		if value := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv(env.key)); value != "" {
+			attrs = append(attrs, env.attr, value)
+		}
+	}
+	return attrs
+}
diff --git a/server/lib/nekoclient/client.go b/server/lib/nekoclient/client.go
index 68fc1533..9eacc030 100644
--- a/server/lib/nekoclient/client.go
+++ b/server/lib/nekoclient/client.go
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@ type AuthClient struct {
 	password string
 }
 
+type StatusError struct {
+	StatusCode int
+	Body       string
+}
+
+func (e *StatusError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("screen configuration API returned status %d: %s", e.StatusCode, e.Body)
+}
+
+func (e *StatusError) IsClientError() bool {
+	return e.StatusCode >= http.StatusBadRequest && e.StatusCode < http.StatusInternalServerError
+}
+
 // NewAuthClient creates a new authenticated Neko client.
 func NewAuthClient(baseURL, username, password string) (*AuthClient, error) {
 	client, err := nekooapi.NewClientWithResponses(baseURL)
@@ -154,7 +167,7 @@ func (c *AuthClient) ScreenConfigurationChange(ctx context.Context, config nekoo
 	}
 
 	if resp.StatusCode() != http.StatusOK && resp.StatusCode() != http.StatusNoContent {
-		return fmt.Errorf("screen configuration API returned status %d: %s", resp.StatusCode(), string(resp.Body))
+		return &StatusError{StatusCode: resp.StatusCode(), Body: string(resp.Body)}
 	}
 
 	return nil