diff --git a/pkg/harvester/edit/harvesterhci.io.keypair.vue b/pkg/harvester/edit/harvesterhci.io.keypair.vue
index c55920db..ba29fb7d 100644
--- a/pkg/harvester/edit/harvesterhci.io.keypair.vue
+++ b/pkg/harvester/edit/harvesterhci.io.keypair.vue
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import FileSelector, { createOnSelected } from '@shell/components/form/FileSelec
 
 import { randomStr } from '@shell/utils/string';
 import CreateEditView from '@shell/mixins/create-edit-view';
+import { getLoginAwareErrors } from '../utils/error';
 
 export default {
   name: 'HarvesterEditKeypair',
@@ -63,6 +64,14 @@ export default {
     }
   },
 
+  computed: {
+    normalizedErrors() {
+      const message = this.t('harvester.virtualMachine.genericLoginError');
+
+      return getLoginAwareErrors(this.errors, message);
+    }
+  },
+
   methods: { onKeySelected: createOnSelected('publicKey') },
 };
 </script>
@@ -72,10 +81,9 @@ export default {
     :done-route="doneRoute"
     :resource="value"
     :mode="mode"
-    :errors="errors"
+    :errors="normalizedErrors"
     :apply-hooks="applyHooks"
     @finish="save"
-    @error="e=>errors=e"
   >
     <div class="header mb-20">
       <FileSelector
diff --git a/pkg/harvester/edit/kubevirt.io.virtualmachine/VirtualMachineSSHKey.vue b/pkg/harvester/edit/kubevirt.io.virtualmachine/VirtualMachineSSHKey.vue
index c0eeaef8..e3cc6719 100644
--- a/pkg/harvester/edit/kubevirt.io.virtualmachine/VirtualMachineSSHKey.vue
+++ b/pkg/harvester/edit/kubevirt.io.virtualmachine/VirtualMachineSSHKey.vue
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { _VIEW } from '@shell/config/query-params';
 
 import { NAMESPACE } from '@shell/config/types';
 import { HCI } from '../../types';
+import { getLoginAwareErrors } from '../../utils/error';
 
 const _NEW = '_NEW';
 
@@ -214,7 +215,9 @@ export default {
         buttonCb(true);
         this.cancel();
       } catch (err) {
-        this.errors = [err.message];
+        const message = this.t('harvester.virtualMachine.genericLoginError');
+
+        this.errors = getLoginAwareErrors(err, message);
         buttonCb(false);
       }
     },
diff --git a/pkg/harvester/l10n/en-us.yaml b/pkg/harvester/l10n/en-us.yaml
index a0714716..5e59c991 100644
--- a/pkg/harvester/l10n/en-us.yaml
+++ b/pkg/harvester/l10n/en-us.yaml
@@ -726,6 +726,7 @@ harvester:
         other {Start}
       } Now
     createSSHKey: Create a New...
+    genericLoginError: Authentication failed. Please re-log in and try again.
     installAgent: Install guest agent
     enableUsb: Enable USB Tablet
     advancedOptions:
diff --git a/pkg/harvester/utils/error.js b/pkg/harvester/utils/error.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca6526e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/harvester/utils/error.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+const AUTH_ERROR_CODES = [401, 403, 404];
+
+export function getLoginAwareErrors(err, message = '') {
+  const errors = Array.isArray(err) ? err : (err ? [err] : []);
+
+  if (!errors.length) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  const generic = message;
+
+  if (errors.some((e) => AUTH_ERROR_CODES.includes(e?._status || e?.response?.status))) {
+    return [generic];
+  }
+
+  const msgs = errors
+    .map((e) => (typeof e === 'string' ? e : (e?.message || e?._statusText || '')))
+    .filter(Boolean);
+
+  return msgs.length ? msgs : [generic];
+}