diff --git a/tailbone/views/batch/core.py b/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
index 966726c0..dfdb0ed5 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ from sqlalchemy import orm
 from rattail.db import model, Session as RattailSession
 from rattail.db.util import short_session
 from rattail.threads import Thread
-from rattail.util import load_object, prettify
+from rattail.util import load_object, prettify, simple_error
 from rattail.progress import SocketProgress
 
 import colander
@@ -1057,7 +1057,8 @@ class BatchMasterView(MasterView):
             if progress:
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
-                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Batch population failed: {} - {}".format(error.__class__.__name__, error)
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Batch population failed: {}".format(
+                    simple_error(error))
                 progress.session.save()
             return
 
@@ -1113,7 +1114,8 @@ class BatchMasterView(MasterView):
             if progress:
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
-                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Data refresh failed: {} {}".format(error.__class__.__name__, error)
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Data refresh failed: {}".format(
+                    simple_error(error))
                 progress.session.save()
             return
 
@@ -1262,7 +1264,7 @@ class BatchMasterView(MasterView):
         }, mobile=True)
 
     def execute_error_message(self, error):
-        return "Batch execution failed: {}: {}".format(type(error).__name__, error)
+        return "Batch execution failed: {}".format(simple_error(error))
 
     def execute_thread(self, batch_uuid, user_uuid, progress, **kwargs):
         """
diff --git a/tailbone/views/master.py b/tailbone/views/master.py
index 01f438f0..d724b0ee 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/master.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/master.py
@@ -41,14 +41,13 @@ from sqlalchemy_utils.functions import get_primary_keys
 from rattail.db import model, Session as RattailSession
 from rattail.db.continuum import model_transaction_query
 from rattail.core import Object
-from rattail.util import prettify
+from rattail.util import prettify, OrderedDict, simple_error
 from rattail.time import localtime
 from rattail.threads import Thread
 from rattail.csvutil import UnicodeDictWriter
 from rattail.files import temp_path
 from rattail.excel import ExcelWriter
 from rattail.gpc import GPC
-from rattail.util import OrderedDict
 
 import colander
 import deform
@@ -978,7 +977,8 @@ class MasterView(View):
             if progress:
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
-                progress.session['error_msg'] = "{}: {} {}".format(msg, error.__class__.__name__, error)
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = "{}: {}".format(
+                    msg, simple_error(error))
                 progress.session.save()
             return
 
@@ -1835,7 +1835,8 @@ class MasterView(View):
             if progress:
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
-                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Bulk deletion failed: {}: {}".format(type(error).__name__, error)
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Bulk deletion failed: {}".format(
+                    simple_error(error))
                 progress.session.save()
 
         # If no error, check result flag (false means user canceled).
@@ -1992,8 +1993,8 @@ class MasterView(View):
                 progress.session.save()
 
     def execute_error_message(self, error):
-        return "Execution of {} failed: {}: {}".format(self.get_model_title(),
-                                                       type(error).__name__, error)
+        return "Execution of {} failed: {}".format(self.get_model_title(),
+                                                   simple_error(error))
 
     def get_execute_success_url(self, obj, **kwargs):
         return self.get_action_url('view', obj, **kwargs)
diff --git a/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py b/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py
index fc81acd7..eb5e5f4d 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ from rattail.db import model, api, Session as RattailSession
 from rattail.db.util import maxlen
 from rattail.gpc import GPC
 from rattail.time import localtime, make_utc
-from rattail.util import pretty_quantity, prettify, OrderedDict
+from rattail.util import pretty_quantity, prettify, OrderedDict, simple_error
 from rattail.vendors.invoices import iter_invoice_parsers, require_invoice_parser
 from rattail.threads import Thread
 
@@ -1839,8 +1839,8 @@ class ReceivingBatchView(PurchasingBatchView):
             if progress:
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
-                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Auto-receive failed: {}: {}".format(
-                    type(error).__name__, error)
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Auto-receive failed: {}".format(
+                    simple_error(error))
                 progress.session.save()
 
         # if no error, check result flag (false means user canceled)
diff --git a/tailbone/views/reports.py b/tailbone/views/reports.py
index 33f7e39a..f8685dcf 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/reports.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/reports.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ from rattail.files import resource_path
 from rattail.time import localtime
 from rattail.reporting import get_report_handler
 from rattail.threads import Thread
+from rattail.util import simple_error
 
 import colander
 from mako.template import Template
@@ -410,8 +411,8 @@ class GenerateReport(View):
             if progress:
                 progress.session.load()
                 progress.session['error'] = True
-                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Failed to generate report: {}: {}".format(
-                    type(error).__name__, error)
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = "Failed to generate report: {}".format(
+                    simple_error(error))
                 progress.session.save()
 
         # if no error, check result flag (false means user canceled)