diff --git a/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller.go b/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller.go
index c724e2dab..f17d6fdaf 100644
--- a/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller.go
+++ b/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller.go
@@ -242,12 +242,8 @@ func (r *BackupJobReconciler) reconcileMariaDB(ctx context.Context, j *backupsv1
 		// Backup eventually fails the BackupJob instead of pinning it Running
 		// forever.
 		if mariadbBackupDeadlineExceeded(j.Status.StartedAt) {
-			detail := "no Complete condition observed"
-			if cond != nil {
-				detail = fmt.Sprintf("Complete=%s/%s", cond.Status, cond.Reason)
-			}
 			return r.markBackupJobFailed(ctx, j, fmt.Sprintf(
-				"k8s.mariadb.com Backup did not complete within %s (%s)", mariadbDefaultBackupDeadline, detail))
+				"k8s.mariadb.com Backup did not complete within %s (%s)", mariadbDefaultBackupDeadline, mariadbCompleteDetail(cond)))
 		}
 		return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: mariadbPollInterval}, nil
 	}
@@ -273,6 +269,20 @@ func mariadbJobFailedMessage(ctx context.Context, c client.Reader, kind, namespa
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s; Job %s/%s reports no Failed condition", message, namespace, name)
 }
 
+// mariadbCompleteDetail describes the last Complete condition for a deadline
+// failure. The message matters for reason Failed, which the operator sets
+// with its own cause ("Error creating Job", "Backup not complete") rather
+// than from a Job.
+func mariadbCompleteDetail(cond *metav1.Condition) string {
+	if cond == nil {
+		return "no Complete condition observed"
+	}
+	if cond.Message == "" {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("Complete=%s/%s", cond.Status, cond.Reason)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("Complete=%s/%s: %s", cond.Status, cond.Reason, cond.Message)
+}
+
 // mariadbBackupDeadlineExceeded reports whether enough wall-clock time has
 // elapsed since the BackupJob started that we should give up on a stuck
 // operator Backup. Returns false when StartedAt is nil so the very first
@@ -605,13 +615,9 @@ func (r *RestoreJobReconciler) reconcileMariaDBRestore(ctx context.Context, rest
 	default:
 		deadline := options.effectiveRestoreDeadline()
 		if restoreJob.Status.StartedAt != nil && time.Since(restoreJob.Status.StartedAt.Time) > deadline {
-			detail := "no Complete condition observed"
-			if cond != nil {
-				detail = fmt.Sprintf("Complete=%s/%s", cond.Status, cond.Reason)
-			}
 			return r.markRestoreJobFailed(ctx, restoreJob, fmt.Sprintf(
 				"k8s.mariadb.com/Restore did not complete within %s (%s; override via spec.options.restoreTimeoutSeconds)",
-				deadline, detail))
+				deadline, mariadbCompleteDetail(cond)))
 		}
 		return ctrl.Result{RequeueAfter: mariadbPollInterval}, nil
 	}
diff --git a/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller_test.go b/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller_test.go
index 2ace7329e..a23351584 100644
--- a/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller_test.go
+++ b/internal/backupcontroller/mariadbstrategy_controller_test.go
@@ -901,6 +901,8 @@ var mariadbCompleteOutcomeCases = []struct {
 		wantMessage: []string{"no Complete condition observed"}},
 	{name: "Complete=True with an unknown reason past the deadline fails", status: metav1.ConditionTrue, reason: "SomethingElse", message: "Something", expired: true, wantFailed: true,
 		wantMessage: []string{"Complete=True/SomethingElse"}},
+	{name: "Complete=False/Failed past the deadline carries the operator's message", status: metav1.ConditionFalse, reason: "Failed", message: "Error creating Job", expired: true, wantFailed: true,
+		wantMessage: []string{"Complete=False/Failed: Error creating Job"}},
 }
 
 func mariadbCompleteConditions(noCondition bool, status metav1.ConditionStatus, reason, message string) []metav1.Condition {
@@ -1078,6 +1080,21 @@ func TestMariaDBJobFailedMessage_JobWithoutFailedCondition(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMariaDBCompleteDetail(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		cond *metav1.Condition
+		want string
+	}{
+		{nil, "no Complete condition observed"},
+		{&metav1.Condition{Status: metav1.ConditionFalse, Reason: "Failed", Message: "Backup not complete"}, "Complete=False/Failed: Backup not complete"},
+		{&metav1.Condition{Status: metav1.ConditionFalse, Reason: "Failed"}, "Complete=False/Failed"},
+	} {
+		if got := mariadbCompleteDetail(tc.cond); got != tc.want {
+			t.Errorf("mariadbCompleteDetail(%+v) = %q, want %q", tc.cond, got, tc.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestReconcileMariaDBRestore_CompleteConditionOutcome(t *testing.T) {
 	apps := mariadbapp.GroupName