diff --git a/ironic/conductor/manager.py b/ironic/conductor/manager.py
index 59127f6eb2..b3649fde06 100644
--- a/ironic/conductor/manager.py
+++ b/ironic/conductor/manager.py
@@ -3623,7 +3623,10 @@ def _do_next_deploy_step(task, step_index, conductor_id):
                        {'node': node.uuid, 'step': node.deploy_step, 'err': e})
             utils.deploying_error_handler(
                 task, log_msg,
-                _("Failed to deploy: %s") % node.deploy_step)
+                _("Failed to deploy: Deploy step %(step)s, "
+                  "error: %(err)s.") % {
+                    'step': node.deploy_step,
+                    'err': e})
             return
         except Exception as e:
             log_msg = ('Node %(node)s failed deploy step %(step)s with '
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/deploy-step-error-d343e8cb7d1b2305.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/deploy-step-error-d343e8cb7d1b2305.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9af1e9782e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/deploy-step-error-d343e8cb7d1b2305.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes vague node ``last_error`` field reporting upon deploy step
+    failure by providing the exception error message in addition
+    to the step that failed.