diff --git a/api/client.go b/api/client.go
index 9f0dba8dce..7cc2acb3d1 100644
--- a/api/client.go
+++ b/api/client.go
@@ -222,10 +222,6 @@ func (c *Client) stream(ctx context.Context, method, path string, data any, fn f
 			return fmt.Errorf("unmarshal: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		if errorResponse.Error != "" {
-			return errors.New(errorResponse.Error)
-		}
-
 		if response.StatusCode >= http.StatusBadRequest {
 			return StatusError{
 				StatusCode:   response.StatusCode,
@@ -234,6 +230,10 @@ func (c *Client) stream(ctx context.Context, method, path string, data any, fn f
 			}
 		}
 
+		if errorResponse.Error != "" {
+			return errors.New(errorResponse.Error)
+		}
+
 		if err := fn(bts); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/api/client_test.go b/api/client_test.go
index 2ceeec9cf6..f0034e02d3 100644
--- a/api/client_test.go
+++ b/api/client_test.go
@@ -89,6 +89,16 @@ func TestClientStream(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantErr: "mid-stream error",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "http status error takes precedence over general error",
+			responses: []any{
+				testError{
+					message:    "custom error message",
+					statusCode: http.StatusInternalServerError,
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: "500",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "successful stream completion",
 			responses: []any{