diff --git a/mysql/changelog.d/21693.fixed b/mysql/changelog.d/21693.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6e0bd8ae4cf9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql/changelog.d/21693.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixes error messages captured when failing to collect explain plans in order to surface actionable detail
diff --git a/mysql/datadog_checks/mysql/statement_samples.py b/mysql/datadog_checks/mysql/statement_samples.py
index b885a72e49501..60372c7c6198c 100644
--- a/mysql/datadog_checks/mysql/statement_samples.py
+++ b/mysql/datadog_checks/mysql/statement_samples.py
@@ -168,6 +168,9 @@ class DBExplainErrorCode(Enum):
     # database error i.e connection error
     database_error = 'database_error'
 
+    # failed to collect explain plan because the function is missing or invalid permissions
+    failed_function = 'failed_function'
+
     # this could be the result of a missing EXPLAIN function
     invalid_schema = 'invalid_schema'
 
@@ -301,10 +304,11 @@ def _use_schema(self, cursor, schema, explain_state_cache_key):
         except pymysql.err.DatabaseError as e:
             if len(e.args) != 2:
                 raise
+            error_msg = f"{e.args[0]}: {e.args[1]}" if len(e.args) >= 2 else str(e)
             error_state = ExplainState(
                 strategy=None,
                 error_code=DBExplainErrorCode.use_schema_error,
-                error_message=str(type(e)),
+                error_message=error_msg,
             )
             if e.args[0] in PYMYSQL_NON_RETRYABLE_ERRORS:
                 self._collection_strategy_cache[explain_state_cache_key] = error_state
@@ -729,9 +733,15 @@ def _explain_statement(self, cursor, statement, schema, obfuscated_statement, qu
             except pymysql.err.DatabaseError as e:
                 if len(e.args) != 2:
                     raise
-                error_state = ExplainState(
-                    strategy=strategy, error_code=DBExplainErrorCode.database_error, error_message=str(type(e))
+                mysql_error_code = e.args[0] if len(e.args) > 0 else None
+                error_msg = f"{e.args[0]}: {e.args[1]}" if len(e.args) >= 2 else str(e)
+                error_code = (
+                    DBExplainErrorCode.failed_function
+                    if mysql_error_code
+                    in (pymysql.constants.ER.TABLEACCESS_DENIED_ERROR, pymysql.constants.ER.PROCACCESS_DENIED_ERROR)
+                    else DBExplainErrorCode.database_error
                 )
+                error_state = ExplainState(strategy=strategy, error_code=error_code, error_message=error_msg)
                 error_states.append(error_state)
                 self._log.debug(
                     'Failed to collect execution plan. error=%s, strategy=%s, schema=%s, statement="%s"',
diff --git a/mysql/tests/test_statements.py b/mysql/tests/test_statements.py
index d3c7f431d546b..3bd0cc7fe37c0 100644
--- a/mysql/tests/test_statements.py
+++ b/mysql/tests/test_statements.py
@@ -399,7 +399,13 @@ def run_query(q):
         (
             'information_schema',
             'select * from testdb.users',
-            [{'strategy': 'PROCEDURE', 'code': 'database_error', 'message': "<class 'pymysql.err.OperationalError'>"}],
+            [
+                {
+                    'strategy': 'PROCEDURE',
+                    'code': 'database_error',
+                    'message': "1044: Access denied for user 'dog'@'%' to database 'information_schema'",
+                }
+            ],
             StatementTruncationState.not_truncated.value,
         ),
         (
@@ -409,7 +415,7 @@ def run_query(q):
                 {
                     'strategy': 'FQ_PROCEDURE',
                     'code': 'database_error',
-                    'message': "<class 'pymysql.err.ProgrammingError'>",
+                    'message': "1146: Table 'datadog.users' doesn't exist",
                 }
             ],
             StatementTruncationState.not_truncated.value,