diff --git a/assets/src/bundles/add_forge/create-request.js b/assets/src/bundles/add_forge/create-request.js
--- a/assets/src/bundles/add_forge/create-request.js
+++ b/assets/src/bundles/add_forge/create-request.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * See top-level LICENSE file for more information
  */
 
-import {handleFetchError, csrfPost,
+import {handleFetchError, errorMessageFromResponse, csrfPost,
         getHumanReadableDate} from 'utils/functions';
 import userRequestsFilterCheckboxFn from 'utils/requests-filter-checkbox.ejs';
 import {swhSpinnerSrc} from 'utils/constants';
@@ -36,28 +36,16 @@
         $('#userMessageDetail').empty();
 
         let errorMessage;
-        let errorMessageDetail = '';
         const errorData = await errorResponse.json();
         // if (errorResponse.content_type === 'text/plain') { // does not work?
         if (errorResponse.status === 409) {
           errorMessage = errorData;
         } else { // assuming json response
           // const exception = errorData['exception'];
-          errorMessage = 'An unknown error occurred during the request creation';
-          try {
-            const reason = JSON.parse(errorData['reason']);
-            Object.entries(reason).forEach((keys, _) => {
-              const key = keys[0];
-              const message = keys[1][0]; // take only the first issue
-              errorMessageDetail += `\n${key}: ${message}`;
-            });
-          } catch (_) {
-            errorMessageDetail = errorData['reason']; // can't parse it, leave it raw
-          }
+          errorMessage = errorMessageFromResponse(
+            errorData, 'An unknown error occurred during the request creation');
         }
-        $('#userMessage').text(
-          errorMessageDetail ? `Error: ${errorMessageDetail}` : errorMessage
-        );
+        $('#userMessage').text(errorMessage);
         $('#userMessage').removeClass('badge-success');
         $('#userMessage').addClass('badge-danger');
       }
diff --git a/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-search.js b/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-search.js
--- a/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-search.js
+++ b/assets/src/bundles/browse/origin-search.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * See top-level LICENSE file for more information
  */
 
-import {handleFetchError, isArchivedOrigin} from 'utils/functions';
+import {handleFetchError, errorMessageFromResponse, isArchivedOrigin} from 'utils/functions';
 
 const limit = 100;
 const linksPrev = [];
@@ -147,11 +147,13 @@
 
     $('.swh-loading').removeClass('show');
     populateOriginSearchResultsTable(data);
-  } catch (response) {
+  } catch (errorResponse) {
+    const errorData = await errorResponse.json();
     $('.swh-loading').removeClass('show');
     inSearch = false;
     $('#swh-origin-search-results').hide();
-    $('#swh-no-result').text(`Error ${response.status}: ${response.statusText}`);
+    $('#swh-no-result').text(errorMessageFromResponse(
+      errorData, 'An unknown error occurred while searching origins'));
     $('#swh-no-result').show();
   }
 }
diff --git a/assets/src/utils/functions.js b/assets/src/utils/functions.js
--- a/assets/src/utils/functions.js
+++ b/assets/src/utils/functions.js
@@ -25,6 +25,21 @@
   return responses;
 }
 
+export function errorMessageFromResponse(errorData, defaultMessage) {
+  let errorMessage = '';
+  try {
+    const reason = JSON.parse(errorData['reason']);
+    Object.entries(reason).forEach((keys, _) => {
+      const key = keys[0];
+      const message = keys[1][0]; // take only the first issue
+      errorMessage += `\n${key}: ${message}`;
+    });
+  } catch (_) {
+    errorMessage = errorData['reason']; // can't parse it, leave it raw
+  }
+  return errorMessage ? `Error: ${errorMessage}` : defaultMessage;
+}
+
 export function staticAsset(asset) {
   return `${__STATIC__}${asset}`;
 }
diff --git a/cypress/integration/origin-search.spec.js b/cypress/integration/origin-search.spec.js
--- a/cypress/integration/origin-search.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/origin-search.spec.js
@@ -237,6 +237,35 @@
       .should('exist');
   });
 
+  it('should show error messages when using the query language', function() {
+    cy.adminLogin();
+    cy.visit(url);
+
+    cy.intercept('GET', `${this.Urls.api_1_origin_search('**')}**`,
+                 {
+                   body: {
+                     'exception': 'BadInputExc',
+                     'reason': 'Syntax error in search query: Invalid query'
+                   },
+                   statusCode: 400
+                 })
+      .as('searchOrigin');
+
+    cy.get('#swh-search-use-ql')
+      .should('exist')
+      .click({force: true}); // Covered by label
+
+    cy.get('#swh-origins-url-patterns')
+      .type('this is not a valid query')
+      .type('{enter}');
+
+    cy.wait('@searchOrigin').then((xhr) => {
+      cy.get('#swh-no-result')
+        .should('contain', 'Syntax error in search query');
+    });
+
+  });
+
   context('Test pagination', function() {
     it('should not paginate if there are not many results', function() {
       // Setup search