diff --git a/src/managers/builtin/helpers.ts b/src/managers/builtin/helpers.ts
index 4f71b9b4..7dc0bee4 100644
--- a/src/managers/builtin/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/managers/builtin/helpers.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ export async function runUV(
             reject(new CancellationError());
         });
 
+        proc.on('error', (err) => {
+            log?.error(`Error spawning uv: ${err}`);
+            reject(new Error(`Error spawning uv: ${err.message}`));
+        });
+
         let builder = '';
         proc.stdout?.on('data', (data) => {
             const s = data.toString('utf-8');
@@ -72,6 +77,12 @@ export async function runPython(
             proc.kill();
             reject(new CancellationError());
         });
+
+        proc.on('error', (err) => {
+            log?.error(`Error spawning python: ${err}`);
+            reject(new Error(`Error spawning python: ${err.message}`));
+        });
+
         let builder = '';
         proc.stdout?.on('data', (data) => {
             const s = data.toString('utf-8');
diff --git a/src/managers/builtin/venvManager.ts b/src/managers/builtin/venvManager.ts
index 80bbd637..f0a2af14 100644
--- a/src/managers/builtin/venvManager.ts
+++ b/src/managers/builtin/venvManager.ts
@@ -230,6 +230,11 @@ export class VenvManager implements EnvironmentManager {
                         }`,
                     );
                 }
+            } else if (result?.envCreationErr) {
+                // Show error message to user when environment creation failed
+                showErrorMessage(
+                    l10n.t('Failed to create virtual environment: {0}', result.envCreationErr),
+                );
             }
             return result?.environment ?? undefined;
         } finally {
diff --git a/src/managers/conda/condaEnvManager.ts b/src/managers/conda/condaEnvManager.ts
index d43743d8..82143cae 100644
--- a/src/managers/conda/condaEnvManager.ts
+++ b/src/managers/conda/condaEnvManager.ts
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@ export class CondaEnvManager implements EnvironmentManager, Disposable {
             return result;
         } catch (error) {
             this.log.error('Failed to create conda environment:', error);
+            showErrorMessage(
+                l10n.t('Failed to create conda environment: {0}', error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)),
+            );
             return undefined;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/managers/conda/condaUtils.ts b/src/managers/conda/condaUtils.ts
index b83be769..80ffed55 100644
--- a/src/managers/conda/condaUtils.ts
+++ b/src/managers/conda/condaUtils.ts
@@ -212,6 +212,11 @@ async function _runConda(
         deferred.reject(new CancellationError());
     });
 
+    proc.on('error', (err) => {
+        log?.error(`Error spawning conda: ${err}`);
+        deferred.reject(new Error(`Error spawning conda: ${err.message}`));
+    });
+
     let stdout = '';
     let stderr = '';
     proc.stdout?.on('data', (data) => {