diff --git a/cmd/auth/describe.go b/cmd/auth/describe.go
index 1f11df319e..3a6e3d5d77 100644
--- a/cmd/auth/describe.go
+++ b/cmd/auth/describe.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var authTemplate = `{{"Host:" | bold}} {{.Status.Details.Host}}
 -----
 ` + configurationTemplate
 
-var errorTemplate = `Unable to authenticate: {{.Error}}
+var errorTemplate = `Unable to authenticate: {{.Status.Error}}
 -----
 ` + configurationTemplate
 
diff --git a/internal/auth_describe_test.go b/internal/auth_describe_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..90b5d68019
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/auth_describe_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package internal
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/databricks/databricks-sdk-go"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestAuthDescribeSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Log(GetEnvOrSkipTest(t, "CLOUD_ENV"))
+
+	stdout, _ := RequireSuccessfulRun(t, "auth", "describe")
+	outStr := stdout.String()
+
+	w, err := databricks.NewWorkspaceClient(&databricks.Config{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.NotEmpty(t, outStr)
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, fmt.Sprintf("Host: %s", w.Config.Host))
+
+	me, err := w.CurrentUser.Me(context.Background())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, fmt.Sprintf("User: %s", me.UserName))
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, fmt.Sprintf("Authenticated with: %s", w.Config.AuthType))
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, "Current configuration:")
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, fmt.Sprintf("✓ host: %s", w.Config.Host))
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, "✓ profile: default")
+}
+
+func TestAuthDescribeFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Log(GetEnvOrSkipTest(t, "CLOUD_ENV"))
+
+	stdout, _ := RequireSuccessfulRun(t, "auth", "describe", "--profile", "nonexistent")
+	outStr := stdout.String()
+
+	require.NotEmpty(t, outStr)
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, "Unable to authenticate: resolve")
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, "has no nonexistent profile configured")
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, "Current configuration:")
+
+	w, err := databricks.NewWorkspaceClient(&databricks.Config{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, fmt.Sprintf("✓ host: %s", w.Config.Host))
+	require.Contains(t, outStr, "✓ profile: nonexistent (from --profile flag)")
+}