diff --git a/start-client/src/components/Application.js b/start-client/src/components/Application.js
index 7862e98fda..9a240ca4a2 100644
--- a/start-client/src/components/Application.js
+++ b/start-client/src/components/Application.js
@@ -64,6 +64,20 @@ export default function Application() {
     }
   }, [dispatch, dispatchInitializr, windowsUtils.origin])
 
+  const onEscape = () => {
+    setBlob(null)
+    dispatch({
+      type: 'UPDATE',
+      payload: {
+        list: false,
+        share: false,
+        explore: false,
+        nav: false,
+        history: false,
+      },
+    })
+  }
+
   const onSubmit = async () => {
     if (generating || list) {
       return
@@ -74,8 +88,10 @@ export default function Application() {
       url,
       values,
       get(dependencies, 'list')
-    ).catch(() => {
-      toast.error(`Could not connect to server. Please check your network.`)
+    ).catch(err => {
+      toast.error(
+        err || `Could not connect to server. Please check your network.`
+      )
     })
     setGenerating(false)
     if (project) {
@@ -91,8 +107,11 @@ export default function Application() {
       url,
       values,
       get(dependencies, 'list')
-    ).catch(() => {
-      toast.error(`Could not connect to server. Please check your network.`)
+    ).catch(err => {
+      toast.error(
+        err || `Could not connect to server. Please check your network.`
+      )
+      onEscape()
     })
     setBlob(project)
   }
@@ -101,20 +120,6 @@ export default function Application() {
     dispatch({ type: 'UPDATE', payload: { share: true } })
   }
 
-  const onEscape = () => {
-    setBlob(null)
-    dispatch({
-      type: 'UPDATE',
-      payload: {
-        list: false,
-        share: false,
-        explore: false,
-        nav: false,
-        history: false,
-      },
-    })
-  }
-
   return (
     <>
       <BodyClassName className={theme} />
diff --git a/start-client/src/components/utils/ApiUtils.js b/start-client/src/components/utils/ApiUtils.js
index 15cdbb8f50..f12bb094f9 100644
--- a/start-client/src/components/utils/ApiUtils.js
+++ b/start-client/src/components/utils/ApiUtils.js
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ export const parseParams = (values, queryParams, lists) => {
             const depsWarning = []
             const newVal = value
               .split(',')
-              .filter(item => !!item) 
+              .filter(item => !!item)
               .map(item => {
                 const dep = get(lists, 'dependencies').find(
                   d => d.id === item.trim()
@@ -301,7 +301,13 @@ export const getProject = function getProject(url, values, config) {
           resolve(response.blob())
           return
         }
-        reject()
+        try {
+          response.json().then(res => {
+            reject(res?.message || '')
+          })
+        } catch (e) {
+          reject()
+        }
       },
       () => {
         reject()
diff --git a/start-client/webpack.dev.js b/start-client/webpack.dev.js
index 06d594311d..e58aad3a7b 100644
--- a/start-client/webpack.dev.js
+++ b/start-client/webpack.dev.js
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ const config = {
         }, 800)
       })
       devServer.app.get('/starter.zip', function (req, res) {
+        // 500 errors
+        // res.status(500).json({
+        //   timestamp: '2022-09-05T14:39:37.471+00:00',
+        //   status: 500,
+        //   error: 'Internal Server Error',
+        //   message:
+        //     'Malformed input or input contains unmappable characters: MixérApplication.java',
+        //   path: '/starter.zip',
+        // })
         fs.readFile(path.resolve('./dev/starter.mock.zip'), (err, data) => {
           if (err) return sendError(err, res)
           setTimeout(() => {