diff --git a/src/middleware/auth19.ts b/src/middleware/auth19.ts
index f92f678..fec79ad 100644
--- a/src/middleware/auth19.ts
+++ b/src/middleware/auth19.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const auth19: AppMiddleware = async (c, next) => {
 /** Throw a 401 if the pubkey isn't set. */
 const requirePubkey: AppMiddleware = async (c, next) => {
   if (!c.get('pubkey')) {
-    throw new HTTPException(401);
+    throw new HTTPException(401, { message: 'No pubkey provided' });
   }
 
   await next();
diff --git a/src/middleware/auth98.ts b/src/middleware/auth98.ts
index 8a2272b..20787fe 100644
--- a/src/middleware/auth98.ts
+++ b/src/middleware/auth98.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function withProof(
       c.set('proof', proof);
       await handler(c, proof, next);
     } else {
-      throw new HTTPException(401);
+      throw new HTTPException(401, { message: 'No proof' });
     }
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/sign.ts b/src/sign.ts
index a97478a..14c192f 100644
--- a/src/sign.ts
+++ b/src/sign.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ async function signNostrConnect<K extends number = number>(event: EventTemplate<
   const pubkey = c.get('pubkey');
 
   if (!pubkey) {
-    throw new HTTPException(401);
+    throw new HTTPException(401, { message: 'Missing pubkey' });
   }
 
   const messageId = crypto.randomUUID();