diff --git a/libs/wingsdk/src/shared-aws/queue.inflight.ts b/libs/wingsdk/src/shared-aws/queue.inflight.ts
index 7001687a18b..f8c0b59fbb0 100644
--- a/libs/wingsdk/src/shared-aws/queue.inflight.ts
+++ b/libs/wingsdk/src/shared-aws/queue.inflight.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   PurgeQueueCommand,
   GetQueueAttributesCommand,
   ReceiveMessageCommand,
+  InvalidMessageContents,
 } from "@aws-sdk/client-sqs";
 import { IQueueClient } from "../cloud";
 
@@ -14,11 +15,22 @@ export class QueueClient implements IQueueClient {
   ) {}
 
   public async push(message: string): Promise<void> {
-    const command = new SendMessageCommand({
-      QueueUrl: this.queueUrl,
-      MessageBody: message,
-    });
-    await this.client.send(command);
+    try {
+      const command = new SendMessageCommand({
+        QueueUrl: this.queueUrl,
+        MessageBody: message,
+      });
+      await this.client.send(command);
+    } catch (e) {
+      if (e instanceof InvalidMessageContents) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `The message contains characters outside the allowed set (message=${message}): ${
+            (e as Error).stack
+          })}`
+        );
+      }
+      throw new Error((e as Error).stack);
+    }
   }
 
   public async purge(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/libs/wingsdk/test/shared-aws/queue.inflight.test.ts b/libs/wingsdk/test/shared-aws/queue.inflight.test.ts
index dd98725c0e0..61475ab858e 100644
--- a/libs/wingsdk/test/shared-aws/queue.inflight.test.ts
+++ b/libs/wingsdk/test/shared-aws/queue.inflight.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   GetQueueAttributesCommand,
   SQSClient,
   ReceiveMessageCommand,
+  InvalidMessageContents,
 } from "@aws-sdk/client-sqs";
 import { mockClient } from "aws-sdk-client-mock";
 import { test, expect, beforeEach } from "vitest";
@@ -35,6 +36,47 @@ test("push - happy path", async () => {
   expect(response).toEqual(undefined);
 });
 
+test("push - sad path invalid message", async () => {
+  // GIVEN
+  const QUEUE_URL = "QUEUE_URL";
+  const MESSAGE = "INVALID_MESSAGE";
+
+  sqsMock
+    .on(SendMessageCommand, { QueueUrl: QUEUE_URL, MessageBody: MESSAGE })
+    .rejects(
+      new InvalidMessageContents({
+        message: "InvalidMessageContents error",
+        $metadata: {},
+      })
+    );
+
+  // WHEN
+  const client = new QueueClient(QUEUE_URL);
+
+  // THEN
+  await expect(() => client.push(MESSAGE)).rejects.toThrowError(
+    /The message contains characters outside the allowed set/
+  );
+});
+
+test("push - sad path unknown error", async () => {
+  // GIVEN
+  const QUEUE_URL = "QUEUE_URL";
+  const MESSAGE = "MESSAGE";
+
+  sqsMock
+    .on(SendMessageCommand, { QueueUrl: QUEUE_URL, MessageBody: MESSAGE })
+    .rejects(new Error("unknown error"));
+
+  // WHEN
+  const client = new QueueClient(QUEUE_URL);
+
+  // THEN
+  await expect(() => client.push(MESSAGE)).rejects.toThrowError(
+    /unknown error/
+  );
+});
+
 test("purge - happy path", async () => {
   // GIVEN
   const QUEUE_URL = "QUEUE_URL";