diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/49266-acme-error-messages.yml b/changelogs/fragments/49266-acme-error-messages.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..911af940aef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/49266-acme-error-messages.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+- "ACME modules: improve error messages in some cases (include error returned by server)."
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/acme.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/acme.py
index 8e917f8a09b..3e776fa1693 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/acme.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/acme.py
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ class ACMEAccount(object):
             try:
                 content = resp.read()
             except AttributeError:
-                content = info.get('body')
+                content = info.pop('body')
 
             if content or not parse_json_result:
                 if (parse_json_result and info['content-type'].startswith('application/json')) or 400 <= info['status'] < 600:
@@ -579,6 +579,8 @@ class ACMEAccount(object):
                             continue
                         if parse_json_result:
                             result = decoded_result
+                        else:
+                            result = content
                     except ValueError:
                         raise ModuleFailException("Failed to parse the ACME response: {0} {1}".format(url, content))
                 else:
@@ -608,7 +610,7 @@ class ACMEAccount(object):
             try:
                 content = resp.read()
             except AttributeError:
-                content = info.get('body')
+                content = info.pop('body')
 
         # Process result
         if parse_json_result: