diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/EcovacsApiException.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/EcovacsApiException.java
index faee172ec92..b40e6450f11 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/EcovacsApiException.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/EcovacsApiException.java
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ public class EcovacsApiException extends Exception {
         this(reason, false);
     }
 
+    public EcovacsApiException(String reason, Throwable cause) {
+        super(reason, cause);
+        isAuthFailure = false;
+    }
+
     public EcovacsApiException(String reason, boolean isAuthFailure) {
         super(reason);
         this.isAuthFailure = isAuthFailure;
diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/impl/EcovacsApiImpl.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/impl/EcovacsApiImpl.java
index 431ff40803f..cfcf42fc34b 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/impl/EcovacsApiImpl.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.ecovacs/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/ecovacs/internal/api/impl/EcovacsApiImpl.java
@@ -345,13 +345,18 @@ public final class EcovacsApiImpl implements EcovacsApi {
     }
 
     private <T> T handleResponse(ContentResponse response, Class<T> clazz) throws EcovacsApiException {
-        @Nullable
-        T respObject = gson.fromJson(response.getContentAsString(), clazz);
-        if (respObject == null) {
-            // should not happen in practice
-            throw new EcovacsApiException("No response received");
+        try {
+            @Nullable
+            T respObject = gson.fromJson(response.getContentAsString(), clazz);
+            if (respObject == null) {
+                // should not happen in practice
+                throw new EcovacsApiException("No response received");
+            }
+            return respObject;
+        } catch (JsonSyntaxException e) {
+            throw new EcovacsApiException("Failed to parse response '" + response.getContentAsString()
+                    + "' as data class " + clazz.getSimpleName(), e);
         }
-        return respObject;
     }
 
     private Request createAuthRequest(String url, String clientKey, String clientSecret,