diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/group/group-membership-requests.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/group/group-membership-requests.tsx
index 2ea708c3d..79700e1a7 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/group/group-membership-requests.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/group/group-membership-requests.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { AxiosError } from 'axios';
 import React, { useEffect } from 'react';
 import { FormattedMessage, defineMessages, useIntl } from 'react-intl';
 
@@ -17,7 +18,8 @@ type RouteParams = { groupId: string };
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   heading: { id: 'column.group_pending_requests', defaultMessage: 'Pending requests' },
-  authorizeRejectFail: { id: 'group.membership_requests.fail', defaultMessage: 'Group owner or admin has already taken action on this request.' },
+  authorizeFail: { id: 'group.group_mod_authorize.fail', defaultMessage: 'Failed to approve @{name}' },
+  rejectFail: { id: 'group.group_mod_reject.fail', defaultMessage: 'Failed to reject @{name}' },
 });
 
 interface IMembershipRequest {
@@ -81,9 +83,15 @@ const GroupMembershipRequests: React.FC<IGroupMembershipRequests> = ({ params })
   async function handleAuthorize(account: AccountEntity) {
     return authorize(account.id)
       .then(() => Promise.resolve())
-      .catch(() => {
+      .catch((error: AxiosError) => {
         refetch();
-        toast.error(intl.formatMessage(messages.authorizeRejectFail));
+
+        let message = intl.formatMessage(messages.authorizeFail, { name: account.username });
+        if (error.response?.status === 409) {
+          message = (error.response?.data as any).error;
+        }
+        toast.error(message);
+
         return Promise.reject();
       });
   }
@@ -91,9 +99,15 @@ const GroupMembershipRequests: React.FC<IGroupMembershipRequests> = ({ params })
   async function handleReject(account: AccountEntity) {
     return reject(account.id)
       .then(() => Promise.resolve())
-      .catch(() => {
+      .catch((error: AxiosError) => {
         refetch();
-        toast.error(intl.formatMessage(messages.authorizeRejectFail));
+
+        let message = intl.formatMessage(messages.rejectFail, { name: account.username });
+        if (error.response?.status === 409) {
+          message = (error.response?.data as any).error;
+        }
+        toast.error(message);
+
         return Promise.reject();
       });
   }
diff --git a/app/soapbox/locales/en.json b/app/soapbox/locales/en.json
index 2c81f307f..91fad97e0 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/locales/en.json
+++ b/app/soapbox/locales/en.json
@@ -773,12 +773,14 @@
   "group.delete.success": "Group successfully deleted",
   "group.deleted.message": "This group has been deleted.",
   "group.demote.user.success": "@{name} is now a member",
+  "group.group_mod_authorize.fail": "Failed to approve @{name}",
   "group.group_mod_block": "Ban from group",
   "group.group_mod_block.success": "@{name} is banned",
   "group.group_mod_demote": "Remove {role} role",
   "group.group_mod_kick": "Kick @{name} from group",
   "group.group_mod_kick.success": "Kicked @{name} from group",
   "group.group_mod_promote_mod": "Assign {role} role",
+  "group.group_mod_reject.fail": "Failed to reject @{name}",
   "group.group_mod_unblock": "Unban",
   "group.group_mod_unblock.success": "Unbanned @{name} from group",
   "group.header.alt": "Group header",
@@ -792,7 +794,6 @@
   "group.manage": "Manage Group",
   "group.member.admin.limit.summary": "You can assign up to {count} admins for the group at this time.",
   "group.member.admin.limit.title": "Admin limit reached",
-  "group.membership_requests.fail": "Group owner or admin has already taken action on this request.",
   "group.popover.action": "View Group",
   "group.popover.summary": "You must be a member of the group in order to reply to this status.",
   "group.popover.title": "Membership required",