diff --git a/api/host_volumes.go b/api/host_volumes.go
index 576e2fbd6..591cee1d2 100644
--- a/api/host_volumes.go
+++ b/api/host_volumes.go
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ type HostVolumeDeleteRequest struct {
 	ID string
 }
 
+type HostVolumeDeleteResponse struct{}
+
 // Create forwards to client agents so a host volume can be created on those
 // hosts, and registers the volume with Nomad servers.
 func (hv *HostVolumes) Create(req *HostVolumeCreateRequest, opts *WriteOptions) (*HostVolumeCreateResponse, *WriteMeta, error) {
@@ -236,11 +238,12 @@ func (hv *HostVolumes) List(req *HostVolumeListRequest, opts *QueryOptions) ([]*
 }
 
 // Delete deletes a host volume
-func (hv *HostVolumes) Delete(req *HostVolumeDeleteRequest, opts *WriteOptions) (*WriteMeta, error) {
+func (hv *HostVolumes) Delete(req *HostVolumeDeleteRequest, opts *WriteOptions) (*HostVolumeDeleteResponse, *WriteMeta, error) {
+	var resp *HostVolumeDeleteResponse
 	path, err := url.JoinPath("/v1/volume/host/", url.PathEscape(req.ID))
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
-	wm, err := hv.client.delete(path, nil, nil, opts)
-	return wm, err
+	wm, err := hv.client.delete(path, nil, resp, opts)
+	return resp, wm, err
 }
diff --git a/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go b/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go
index c51336b41..364201176 100644
--- a/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go
+++ b/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin.go
@@ -52,12 +52,20 @@ type PluginFingerprint struct {
 	Version *version.Version `json:"version"`
 }
 
-// HostVolumePluginCreateResponse gets stored on the volume in server state.
-// Plugins are expected to respond to 'create' calls with json that
-// unmarshals to this struct.
+// HostVolumePluginCreateResponse returns values to the server that may be shown
+// to the user or stored in server state. Plugins are expected to respond to
+// 'create' calls with json that unmarshals to this struct.
 type HostVolumePluginCreateResponse struct {
 	Path      string `json:"path"`
 	SizeBytes int64  `json:"bytes"`
+	Error     string `json:"error"`
+}
+
+// HostVolumePluginDeleteResponse returns values to the server that may be shown
+// to the user or stored in server state. Plugins are expected to respond to
+// 'delete' calls with json that unmarshals to this struct.
+type HostVolumePluginDeleteResponse struct {
+	Error string `json:"error"`
 }
 
 const HostVolumePluginMkdirID = "mkdir"
@@ -255,13 +263,21 @@ func (p *HostVolumePluginExternal) Create(ctx context.Context,
 		fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", EnvParameters, params),
 	}
 
+	var pluginResp HostVolumePluginCreateResponse
 	log := p.log.With("volume_name", req.Name, "volume_id", req.ID)
 	stdout, _, err := p.runPlugin(ctx, log, "create", envVars)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating volume %q with plugin %q: %w", req.ID, p.ID, err)
+		jsonErr := json.Unmarshal(stdout, &pluginResp)
+		if jsonErr != nil {
+			// if we got an error, we can't actually count on getting JSON, so
+			// optimistically look for it and return the original error
+			// otherwise
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"error creating volume %q with plugin %q: %w", req.ID, p.ID, err)
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating volume %q with plugin %q: %w: %s",
+			req.ID, p.ID, err, pluginResp.Error)
 	}
-
-	var pluginResp HostVolumePluginCreateResponse
 	err = json.Unmarshal(stdout, &pluginResp)
 	if err != nil {
 		// note: if a plugin does not return valid json, a volume may be
@@ -313,10 +329,20 @@ func (p *HostVolumePluginExternal) Delete(ctx context.Context,
 	}
 
 	log := p.log.With("volume_name", req.Name, "volume_id", req.ID)
-	_, _, err = p.runPlugin(ctx, log, "delete", envVars)
+	stdout, _, err := p.runPlugin(ctx, log, "delete", envVars)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting volume %q with plugin %q: %w", req.ID, p.ID, err)
+		var pluginResp HostVolumePluginDeleteResponse
+		jsonErr := json.Unmarshal(stdout, &pluginResp)
+		if jsonErr != nil {
+			// if we got an error, we can't actually count on getting JSON, so
+			// optimistically look for it and return the original error
+			// otherwise
+			return fmt.Errorf("error reading plugin response when deleting volume %q with plugin %q: original error: %w", req.ID, p.ID, err)
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting volume %q with plugin %q: %w: %s",
+			req.ID, p.ID, err, pluginResp.Error)
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin_test.go b/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin_test.go
index 826f7b943..cebdb0498 100644
--- a/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin_test.go
+++ b/client/hostvolumemanager/host_volume_plugin_test.go
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func TestHostVolumePluginExternal(t *testing.T) {
 			&cstructs.ClientHostVolumeCreateRequest{
 				ID: volID,
 			})
-		must.EqError(t, err, `error creating volume "test-vol-id" with plugin "test_plugin_sad.sh": exit status 1`)
+		must.EqError(t, err, `error creating volume "test-vol-id" with plugin "test_plugin_sad.sh": exit status 1: create: sad plugin is sad`)
 		must.Nil(t, resp)
 		logged = getLogs()
 		must.StrContains(t, logged, "create: sad plugin is sad")
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func TestHostVolumePluginExternal(t *testing.T) {
 			&cstructs.ClientHostVolumeDeleteRequest{
 				ID: volID,
 			})
-		must.EqError(t, err, `error deleting volume "test-vol-id" with plugin "test_plugin_sad.sh": exit status 1`)
+		must.EqError(t, err, `error deleting volume "test-vol-id" with plugin "test_plugin_sad.sh": exit status 1: delete: sad plugin is sad`)
 		logged = getLogs()
 		must.StrContains(t, logged, "delete: sad plugin is sad")
 		must.StrContains(t, logged, "delete: it tells you all about it in stderr")
diff --git a/client/hostvolumemanager/test_fixtures/test_plugin_sad.sh b/client/hostvolumemanager/test_fixtures/test_plugin_sad.sh
index 6f883297a..9af277e01 100755
--- a/client/hostvolumemanager/test_fixtures/test_plugin_sad.sh
+++ b/client/hostvolumemanager/test_fixtures/test_plugin_sad.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 # Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
 
-echo "$1: sad plugin is sad"
+printf '{"error": "%s: sad plugin is sad"}' $1
 echo "$1: it tells you all about it in stderr" 1>&2
 exit 1
diff --git a/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint.go b/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint.go
index db12cca92..a3791dee6 100644
--- a/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint.go
+++ b/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint.go
@@ -139,5 +139,5 @@ func (s *HTTPServer) hostVolumeDelete(id string, resp http.ResponseWriter, req *
 
 	setIndex(resp, out.Index)
 
-	return nil, nil
+	return out, nil
 }
diff --git a/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint_test.go b/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint_test.go
index ddff7a33f..abb51524e 100644
--- a/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint_test.go
+++ b/command/agent/host_volume_endpoint_test.go
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ func TestHostVolumeEndpoint_CRUD(t *testing.T) {
 
 		req, err = http.NewRequest(http.MethodDelete, fmt.Sprintf("/v1/volume/host/%s", volID), nil)
 		must.NoError(t, err)
-		_, err = s.Server.HostVolumeSpecificRequest(respW, req)
+		obj, err = s.Server.HostVolumeSpecificRequest(respW, req)
 		must.NoError(t, err)
+		must.NotNil(t, obj)
 
 		// Verify volume was deleted
 
diff --git a/command/volume_delete.go b/command/volume_delete.go
index e23e02f6f..427fd9c59 100644
--- a/command/volume_delete.go
+++ b/command/volume_delete.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (c *VolumeDeleteCommand) deleteHostVolume(client *api.Client, volID string)
 		c.namespace = stub.Namespace
 	}
 
-	_, err := client.HostVolumes().Delete(&api.HostVolumeDeleteRequest{ID: volID}, nil)
+	_, _, err := client.HostVolumes().Delete(&api.HostVolumeDeleteRequest{ID: volID}, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error deleting volume: %s", err))
 		return 1
diff --git a/website/content/docs/concepts/plugins/storage/host-volumes.mdx b/website/content/docs/concepts/plugins/storage/host-volumes.mdx
index 709df40f5..719bbbdf8 100644
--- a/website/content/docs/concepts/plugins/storage/host-volumes.mdx
+++ b/website/content/docs/concepts/plugins/storage/host-volumes.mdx
@@ -291,6 +291,15 @@ DHV_PARAMETERS={stringified json of parameters from the volume spec}
 {"path": "/path/to/created/volume", "bytes": 50000000}
 ```
 
+**Expected stdout on error:**
+
+```
+{"error": "error message"}
+```
+
+Returning an error message is optional. Nomad returns the error message in any
+error returned to the user.
+
 **Requirements:**
 
 * Must complete within 60 seconds, or Nomad will kill it.
@@ -333,6 +342,15 @@ DHV_PARAMETERS={stringified json of parameters from the volume spec}
 
 **Expected stdout:** none (stdout is discarded)
 
+**Expected stdout on error:**
+
+```
+{"error": "error message"}
+```
+
+Returning an error message is optional. Nomad returns the error message in any
+error returned to the user.
+
 **Requirements:**
 
 * Must complete within 60 seconds, or Nomad will kill it.