diff --git a/src/shared/bus-polkit.c b/src/shared/bus-polkit.c
index 93a3c7e6a4..b3ee9f5847 100644
--- a/src/shared/bus-polkit.c
+++ b/src/shared/bus-polkit.c
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ static int async_polkit_read_reply(sd_bus_message *reply, AsyncPolkitQuery *q) {
         } else if (challenge) {
                 log_debug("Polkit authorization for action '%s' requires interactive authentication, which we didn't allow.", a->action);
                 q->error_action = TAKE_PTR(a);
-                sd_bus_error_set_const(&q->error, SD_BUS_ERROR_INTERACTIVE_AUTHORIZATION_REQUIRED, "Interactive authentication required.");
+                sd_bus_error_set_const(&q->error, SD_BUS_ERROR_INTERACTIVE_AUTHORIZATION_REQUIRED,
+                                       "Access denied as the requested operation requires interactive authentication. However, interactive authentication has not been enabled by the calling program.");
         } else {
                 log_debug("Polkit authorization for action '%s' denied.", a->action);
                 q->denied_action = TAKE_PTR(a);