diff --git a/nova_powervm/tests/virt/powervm/test_driver.py b/nova_powervm/tests/virt/powervm/test_driver.py
index 63adb159..1715b40e 100644
--- a/nova_powervm/tests/virt/powervm/test_driver.py
+++ b/nova_powervm/tests/virt/powervm/test_driver.py
@@ -1673,7 +1673,7 @@ class TestPowerVMDriver(test.TestCase):
 
         # Failure
         mock_vterm.side_effect = pvm_exc.VNCBasedTerminalFailedToOpen(err='xx')
-        self.assertRaises(exc.InternalError, self.drv.get_vnc_console,
+        self.assertRaises(exc.ConsoleTypeUnavailable, self.drv.get_vnc_console,
                           mock.ANY, self.inst)
 
         # 404
diff --git a/nova_powervm/virt/powervm/driver.py b/nova_powervm/virt/powervm/driver.py
index 2c70516d..a90f5db5 100644
--- a/nova_powervm/virt/powervm/driver.py
+++ b/nova_powervm/virt/powervm/driver.py
@@ -1742,10 +1742,17 @@ class PowerVMDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
                 server_cert=server_cert, server_key=server_key)
         except pvm_exc.HttpNotFound:
             raise exception.InstanceNotFound(instance_id=instance.uuid)
-        except pvm_exc.Error:
+        except pvm_exc.Error as exc:
             # Otherwise wrapper the error in an exception that can be handled
             LOG.exception("Unable to open console.", instance=instance)
-            raise exception.InternalError(err=_("Unable to open console."))
+            msg = (_("VNC based terminal for instance %(instance_name)s "
+                     "failed to open: %(exc_msg)s")
+                   % {'instance_name': instance.name
+                      'exc_msg': exc.args[0]})
+            # Need to raise ConsoleTypeUnavailable with overwritten message
+            # because otherwise the exception will not be caught. It is
+            # disallowed to send a non-nova exception over the wire.
+            raise exception.ConsoleTypeUnavailable(msg)
 
         # Note that the VNC viewer will wrap the internal_access_path with
         # the HTTP content.