diff --git a/test/api/test_api.py b/test/api/test_api.py
index 83e2b23..d381b5e 100644
--- a/test/api/test_api.py
+++ b/test/api/test_api.py
@@ -581,3 +581,41 @@ def test_no_param_plugin_still_accepts_a_bodyless_post():
 
     assert resp.status_code == 200
     assert InvokeResponse.model_validate(resp.json()).output["received"] == "ok"
+
+
+class _PrecheckFailure(Exception):
+    status_code = 403
+    failure_category = "AUTH_PERMISSION_DENIED"
+
+
+def _failing_precheck() -> None:
+    raise _PrecheckFailure("credential rejected")
+
+
+def _passing_precheck() -> None:
+    return None
+
+
+def test_precheck_reports_failure_category_from_raised_error():
+    client = TestClient(
+        wrap_in_fastapi(func=_no_params, plugin_id="mock_plugin", precheck_func=_failing_precheck)
+    )
+
+    resp = client.get("/precheck")
+
+    body = resp.json()
+    assert body["status_code"] == 403
+    assert body["failure_category"] == "AUTH_PERMISSION_DENIED"
+    assert "credential rejected" in body["status_code_text"]
+
+
+def test_precheck_success_has_no_failure_category():
+    client = TestClient(
+        wrap_in_fastapi(func=_no_params, plugin_id="mock_plugin", precheck_func=_passing_precheck)
+    )
+
+    resp = client.get("/precheck")
+
+    body = resp.json()
+    assert body["status_code"] == 200
+    assert body["failure_category"] is None
diff --git a/unstructured_platform_plugins/etl_uvicorn/api_generator.py b/unstructured_platform_plugins/etl_uvicorn/api_generator.py
index 4b7d8ce..168a3d3 100644
--- a/unstructured_platform_plugins/etl_uvicorn/api_generator.py
+++ b/unstructured_platform_plugins/etl_uvicorn/api_generator.py
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ class InvokeResponse(BaseModel):
         file_data: Optional[FileDataType] = None
         filedata_meta: Optional[filedata_meta_model] = None
         status_code_text: Optional[str] = None
+        failure_category: Optional[str] = None
         output: Optional[response_type] = None
         message_channels: MessageChannels = Field(default_factory=MessageChannels)
 
@@ -200,6 +201,7 @@ async def _stream_response():
                                 status_code=getattr(e, "status_code", None)
                                 or status.HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
                                 status_code_text=f"[{e.__class__.__name__}] {e}",
+                                failure_category=getattr(e, "failure_category", None),
                             ).model_dump_json()
                             + "\n"
                         )
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ async def _stream_response():
                 status_code_text=json.dumps(exc.detail)
                 if isinstance(exc.detail, dict)
                 else exc.detail,
+                failure_category=getattr(exc, "failure_category", None),
                 file_data=request_dict.get("file_data", None),
             )
         except UnstructuredIngestError as exc:
@@ -240,6 +243,7 @@ async def _stream_response():
                 filedata_meta=filedata_meta_model.model_validate(filedata_meta.model_dump()),
                 status_code=exc.status_code or status.HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
                 status_code_text=str(exc),
+                failure_category=getattr(exc, "failure_category", None),
                 file_data=request_dict.get("file_data", None),
             )
         except Exception as invoke_error:
@@ -251,6 +255,7 @@ async def _stream_response():
                 status_code=getattr(invoke_error, "status_code", None)
                 or status.HTTP_500_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
                 status_code_text=f"[{invoke_error.__class__.__name__}] {invoke_error}",
+                failure_category=getattr(invoke_error, "failure_category", None),
                 file_data=request_dict.get("file_data", None),
             )
 
@@ -318,6 +323,7 @@ class InvokePrecheckResponse(BaseModel):
         usage: list[UsageData]
         status_code: int
         status_code_text: Optional[str] = None
+        failure_category: Optional[str] = None
 
     @fastapi_app.get("/schema")
     async def get_schema() -> SchemaOutputResponse:
@@ -332,6 +338,7 @@ async def run_precheck() -> InvokePrecheckResponse:
             return InvokePrecheckResponse(
                 status_code=fn_response.status_code,
                 status_code_text=fn_response.status_code_text,
+                failure_category=fn_response.failure_category,
                 usage=fn_response.usage,
             )
         else: