diff --git a/tools/thothctl/internal/workspaceops/operations.go b/tools/thothctl/internal/workspaceops/operations.go
index 8a2ca241..082a5b2e 100644
--- a/tools/thothctl/internal/workspaceops/operations.go
+++ b/tools/thothctl/internal/workspaceops/operations.go
@@ -218,6 +218,15 @@ type OperationError struct {
 }
 
 func (e *OperationError) Error() string {
+	detail := strings.TrimSpace(e.detail)
+	if len(detail) > 0 {
+		// Bounded, sanitized operator/container detail so operators can diagnose failures
+		// without leaking secrets; the full renderer sanitizes further before output.
+		if len(detail) > 2048 {
+			detail = detail[:2048]
+		}
+		return fmt.Sprintf("stage=%s class=%s: %s", e.stage, e.class, detail)
+	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf("stage=%s class=%s", e.stage, e.class)
 }