diff --git a/app/services/gitea/user/register_service.rb b/app/services/gitea/user/register_service.rb
index f9e42e9e5..afea81080 100644
--- a/app/services/gitea/user/register_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/gitea/user/register_service.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Gitea::User::RegisterService < Gitea::ClientService
     case status
     when 201 then success(body)
     else
-      error(message, status)
+      error(message || body["message"], status)
     end
   end