diff --git a/server/src/middleware/error-handler.ts b/server/src/middleware/error-handler.ts
index e9d6c5a8..b8986c6b 100644
--- a/server/src/middleware/error-handler.ts
+++ b/server/src/middleware/error-handler.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ export function errorHandler(
   _next: NextFunction,
 ) {
   if (err instanceof HttpError) {
+    if (err.status >= 500) {
+      (res as any).err = err;
+    }
     res.status(err.status).json({
       error: err.message,
       ...(err.details ? { details: err.details } : {}),
@@ -26,8 +29,10 @@ export function errorHandler(
     ? { message: err.message, stack: err.stack, name: err.name }
     : { raw: err };
 
-  // Attach the real error so pino-http can include it in its response log
-  res.locals.serverError = errObj;
+  // Attach the real error so pino-http uses it instead of its generic
+  // "failed with status code 500" message in the response-complete log
+  const realError = err instanceof Error ? err : Object.assign(new Error(String(err)), { raw: err });
+  (res as any).err = realError;
 
   logger.error(
     { err: errObj, method: req.method, url: req.originalUrl },
diff --git a/server/src/middleware/logger.ts b/server/src/middleware/logger.ts
index 8f915b85..2f7da6dd 100644
--- a/server/src/middleware/logger.ts
+++ b/server/src/middleware/logger.ts
@@ -55,11 +55,7 @@ export const httpLogger = pinoHttp({
   customErrorMessage(req, res) {
     return `${req.method} ${req.url} ${res.statusCode}`;
   },
-  customProps(_req, res) {
-    const serverError = (res as any).locals?.serverError;
-    if (serverError) {
-      return { serverError };
-    }
+  customProps() {
     return {};
   },
 });