diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/download.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/download.ts
index 0aba083619..d4c2065aab 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/download.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/registry/download.ts
@@ -48,10 +48,17 @@ function downloadFile(url: string, destinationPath: string, options: DownloadFil
   }, response => {
     log(`-- response status code: ${response.statusCode}`);
     if (response.statusCode !== 200) {
-      const error = new Error(`Download failed: server returned code ${response.statusCode}. URL: ${url}`);
-      // consume response data to free up memory
-      response.resume();
-      fulfill({ error });
+      let content = '';
+      const handleError = () => {
+        const error = new Error(`Download failed: server returned code ${response.statusCode} body '${content}'. URL: ${url}`);
+        // consume response data to free up memory
+        response.resume();
+        fulfill({ error });
+      };
+      response
+          .on('data', chunk => content += chunk)
+          .on('end', handleError)
+          .on('error', handleError);
       return;
     }
     const file = fs.createWriteStream(destinationPath);