diff --git a/src/app/v/[token]/dispatch/_components/uplift-requests-section.tsx b/src/app/v/[token]/dispatch/_components/uplift-requests-section.tsx
index 820c186e..e157b2bf 100644
--- a/src/app/v/[token]/dispatch/_components/uplift-requests-section.tsx
+++ b/src/app/v/[token]/dispatch/_components/uplift-requests-section.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import {
 } from "@/app/v/[token]/dispatch/_components/use-uplift-evidence";
 
 const ACTIVE_STATUSES = new Set(["Pending", "ChangesRequested"]);
+const UPLIFT_REQUEST_PERMISSION_DENIAL = "Your role can't request uplifts on this work order.";
+const UPLIFT_REQUEST_ERROR_FALLBACK = "Unable to request the NTE uplift. Please try again.";
 
 type UpliftRequestsSectionProps = {
   token: string;
@@ -41,6 +43,12 @@ function scanErrorMessage(scan: EvidenceScanState): string {
   return "Security scan timed out. Please try again once the file finishes scanning.";
 }
 
+function mapUpliftRequestError(error: unknown): string {
+  return error instanceof Error && error.message === UPLIFT_REQUEST_PERMISSION_DENIAL
+    ? UPLIFT_REQUEST_PERMISSION_DENIAL
+    : UPLIFT_REQUEST_ERROR_FALLBACK;
+}
+
 function useVendorUpliftActions({
   token,
   dispatchId,
@@ -97,11 +105,7 @@ function useVendorUpliftActions({
         setInfoMessage("No approval required — the existing NTE already covers this amount.");
       }
     } catch (error) {
-      setFormError(
-        error instanceof Error && error.message
-          ? error.message
-          : "Unable to request the NTE uplift. Please try again.",
-      );
+      setFormError(mapUpliftRequestError(error));
     } finally {
       setSubmitting(false);
     }
diff --git a/src/test/app/v/uplift-requests-section.test.tsx b/src/test/app/v/uplift-requests-section.test.tsx
index 306848fd..51416c19 100644
--- a/src/test/app/v/uplift-requests-section.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/app/v/uplift-requests-section.test.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,26 @@ afterEach(() => {
   vi.restoreAllMocks();
 });
 
+function renderCreateForm() {
+  renderWithProviders(
+    <UpliftRequestsSection
+      token="portal-token"
+      dispatchId={7}
+      currentNte={100}
+      upliftRequests={[]}
+      locked={false}
+      onChanged={vi.fn()}
+      pollDocument={vi.fn(async () => undefined)}
+    />,
+    { withAuth: false },
+  );
+}
+
+function submitCreateForm() {
+  fireEvent.change(screen.getByLabelText("New total NTE"), { target: { value: "100" } });
+  fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Request uplift" }));
+}
+
 describe("UpliftRequestsSection create workflow", () => {
   it("renders the server denial message when requestUplifts is denied", async () => {
     const denialMessage = "Your role can't request uplifts on this work order.";
@@ -18,26 +38,32 @@ describe("UpliftRequestsSection create workflow", () => {
       }),
     );
 
-    renderWithProviders(
-      <UpliftRequestsSection
-        token="portal-token"
-        dispatchId={7}
-        currentNte={100}
-        upliftRequests={[]}
-        locked={false}
-        onChanged={vi.fn()}
-        pollDocument={vi.fn(async () => undefined)}
-      />,
-      { withAuth: false },
-    );
+    renderCreateForm();
+    submitCreateForm();
 
-    fireEvent.change(screen.getByLabelText("New total NTE"), { target: { value: "100" } });
-    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Request uplift" }));
-
-    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByRole("alert")).toHaveTextContent(denialMessage));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByRole("alert").textContent).toBe(denialMessage));
     expect(fetchMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.stringMatching(/\/api\/vendor-portal\/dispatches\/7\/uplift-request$/),
       expect.objectContaining({ method: "POST" }),
     );
   });
+
+  it("keeps unexpected server messages behind the generic fallback", async () => {
+    const unexpectedMessage = "SqlException: work order row failed";
+    vi.spyOn(globalThis, "fetch").mockResolvedValue(
+      new Response(JSON.stringify({ message: unexpectedMessage }), {
+        status: 500,
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      }),
+    );
+
+    renderCreateForm();
+    submitCreateForm();
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(screen.getByRole("alert").textContent).toBe(
+        "Unable to request the NTE uplift. Please try again.",
+      ),
+    );
+  });
 });