diff --git a/backend/plugins/zentao/models/access_token.go b/backend/plugins/zentao/models/access_token.go
index 60bf2617878..d084348fbb1 100644
--- a/backend/plugins/zentao/models/access_token.go
+++ b/backend/plugins/zentao/models/access_token.go
@@ -24,4 +24,5 @@ type ApiAccessTokenRequest struct {
 
 type ApiAccessTokenResponse struct {
 	Token string `json:"token"`
+	Error string `json:"error"`
 }
diff --git a/backend/plugins/zentao/models/connection.go b/backend/plugins/zentao/models/connection.go
index ccce2010e32..0554450e7ae 100644
--- a/backend/plugins/zentao/models/connection.go
+++ b/backend/plugins/zentao/models/connection.go
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ func (connection ZentaoConn) PrepareApiClient(apiClient plugin.ApiClient) errors
 		return errors.HttpStatus(http.StatusBadRequest).Wrap(err, "failed UnmarshalResponse for tokenResBody")
 	}
 	if tokenResBody.Token == "" {
-		return errors.HttpStatus(http.StatusBadRequest).New("failed to request access token")
+		msg := "failed to request access token"
+		if tokenResBody.Error != "" {
+			msg = tokenResBody.Error
+		}
+		return errors.HttpStatus(http.StatusBadRequest).New(msg)
 	}
 	apiClient.SetHeaders(map[string]string{
 		"Token": fmt.Sprintf("%v", tokenResBody.Token),