diff --git a/src/shim/state_tree.rs b/src/shim/state_tree.rs
index e11a66e38390..a86b3fcb96c8 100644
--- a/src/shim/state_tree.rs
+++ b/src/shim/state_tree.rs
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ where
             Ok(StateTree::FvmV2(st))
         } else if let Ok(st) = super::state_tree_v0::StateTreeV0::new_from_root(store.clone(), c) {
             Ok(StateTree::V0(st))
+        } else if !store.has(c)? {
+            bail!("No state tree exists for the root {c}.")
         } else {
             let state_root = store.get_cbor::<StateRoot>(c).ok().flatten();
             let state_root_version = state_root
diff --git a/src/state_manager/mod.rs b/src/state_manager/mod.rs
index 24de41efc66f..53845000c9ef 100644
--- a/src/state_manager/mod.rs
+++ b/src/state_manager/mod.rs
@@ -857,6 +857,8 @@ where
         callback: Option<impl FnMut(MessageCallbackCtx<'_>) -> anyhow::Result<()>>,
         enable_tracing: VMTrace,
     ) -> Result<StateOutput, Error> {
+        let epoch = tipset.epoch();
+        let has_callback = callback.is_some();
         Ok(apply_block_messages(
             self.chain_store().genesis_block_header().timestamp,
             Arc::clone(&self.chain_store().chain_index),
@@ -866,7 +868,14 @@ where
             tipset,
             callback,
             enable_tracing,
-        )?)
+        )
+        .map_err(|e| {
+            if has_callback {
+                e
+            } else {
+                anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to compute tipset state@{epoch}: {e}")
+            }
+        })?)
     }
 
     #[instrument(skip_all)]