diff --git a/.changeset/tender-insects-fix.md b/.changeset/tender-insects-fix.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5f7dcc51c58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tender-insects-fix.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"shadcn": patch
+---
+
+better error handling
diff --git a/packages/shadcn/src/utils/registry/index.ts b/packages/shadcn/src/utils/registry/index.ts
index 3ae43c20792..b8d54d35b84 100644
--- a/packages/shadcn/src/utils/registry/index.ts
+++ b/packages/shadcn/src/utils/registry/index.ts
@@ -174,6 +174,31 @@ async function fetchRegistry(paths: string[]) {
             404: "Not found",
             500: "Internal server error",
           }
+
+          if (response.status === 401) {
+            throw new Error(
+              `You are not authorized to access the component at ${highlighter.info(
+                url
+              )}.\nIf this is a remote registry, you may need to authenticate.`
+            )
+          }
+
+          if (response.status === 404) {
+            throw new Error(
+              `The component at ${highlighter.info(
+                url
+              )} was not found.\nIt may not exist at the registry. Please make sure it is a valid component.`
+            )
+          }
+
+          if (response.status === 403) {
+            throw new Error(
+              `You do not have access to the component at ${highlighter.info(
+                url
+              )}.\nIf this is a remote registry, you may need to authenticate or a token.`
+            )
+          }
+
           const result = await response.json()
           const message =
             result && typeof result === "object" && "error" in result