diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index 1474d929f..f52ec6fe0 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -265,12 +265,19 @@ function getXctestrunFileName (deviceInfo, version) {
     : `WebDriverAgentRunner_iphone${deviceInfo.isRealDevice ? `os${version}-arm64` : `simulator${version}-x86_64`}.xctestrun`;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Ensures the process is killed after the timeout
+ *
+ * @param {string} name
+ * @param {import('teen_process').SubProcess} proc
+ * @returns {Promise<void>}
+ */
 async function killProcess (name, proc) {
   if (!proc || !proc.isRunning) {
     return;
   }
 
-  log.info(`Shutting down '${name}' process (pid '${proc.proc.pid}')`);
+  log.info(`Shutting down '${name}' process (pid '${proc.proc?.pid}')`);
 
   log.info(`Sending 'SIGTERM'...`);
   try {
diff --git a/lib/xcodebuild.js b/lib/xcodebuild.js
index 8194d1984..bdd484db2 100644
--- a/lib/xcodebuild.js
+++ b/lib/xcodebuild.js
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 import { retryInterval } from 'asyncbox';
 import { SubProcess, exec } from 'teen_process';
-import { fs, logger, timing } from '@appium/support';
+import { logger, timing } from '@appium/support';
 import defaultLogger from './logger';
 import B from 'bluebird';
 import {
   setRealDeviceSecurity, setXctestrunFile,
   updateProjectFile, resetProjectFile, killProcess,
-  getWDAUpgradeTimestamp, isTvOS } from './utils';
+  getWDAUpgradeTimestamp, isTvOS
+} from './utils';
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import path from 'path';
 import { EOL } from 'os';
 import { WDA_RUNNER_BUNDLE_ID } from './constants';
-import readline from 'node:readline';
 
 
 const DEFAULT_SIGNING_ID = 'iPhone Developer';
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ const xcodeLog = logger.getLogger('Xcode');
 
 
 class XcodeBuild {
+  /** @type {SubProcess} */
+  xcodebuild;
+
   /**
    * @param {string} xcodeVersion
    * @param {any} device
@@ -85,10 +88,6 @@ class XcodeBuild {
     this.resultBundlePath = args.resultBundlePath;
     this.resultBundleVersion = args.resultBundleVersion;
 
-    /** @type {string}  */
-    this._logLocation = '';
-    /** @type {string[]} */
-    this._wdaErrorMessage = [];
     this._didBuildFail = false;
     this._didProcessExit = false;
   }
@@ -168,8 +167,6 @@ class XcodeBuild {
     this.usePrebuiltWDA = true;
     await this.start(true);
 
-    this.xcodebuild = null;
-
     if (this.prebuildDelay > 0) {
       // pause a moment
       await B.delay(this.prebuildDelay);
@@ -286,7 +283,6 @@ class XcodeBuild {
     if (upgradeTimestamp) {
       env.UPGRADE_TIMESTAMP = upgradeTimestamp;
     }
-    this._logLocation = '';
     this._didBuildFail = false;
     const xcodebuild = new SubProcess(cmd, args, {
       cwd: this.bootstrapPath,
@@ -302,14 +298,6 @@ class XcodeBuild {
     this.log.debug(`${logMsg}. To change this, use 'showXcodeLog' desired capability`);
     xcodebuild.on('output', (stdout, stderr) => {
       let out = stdout || stderr;
-      // we want to pull out the log file that is created, and highlight it
-      // for diagnostic purposes
-      if (out.includes('Writing diagnostic log for test session to')) {
-        // pull out the first line that begins with the path separator
-        // which *should* be the line indicating the log file generated
-        this._logLocation = _.first(_.remove(out.trim().split('\n'), (v) => v.startsWith(path.sep))) ?? '';
-        xcodeLog.debug(`Log file location for xcodebuild test: ${this._logLocation || 'unknown'}`);
-      }
 
       // if we have an error we want to output the logs
       // otherwise the failure is inscrutible
@@ -326,9 +314,6 @@ class XcodeBuild {
       if (logXcodeOutput && !ignoreError) {
         for (const line of out.split(EOL)) {
           xcodeLog.error(line);
-          if (line) {
-            this._wdaErrorMessage.push(line);
-          }
         }
       }
     });
@@ -338,43 +323,27 @@ class XcodeBuild {
 
   async start (buildOnly = false) {
     this.xcodebuild = await this.createSubProcess(buildOnly);
-    // Store xcodebuild message
-    this._wdaErrorMessage = [];
 
     // wrap the start procedure in a promise so that we can catch, and report,
     // any startup errors that are thrown as events
     return await new B((resolve, reject) => {
-      // @ts-ignore xcodebuild must be present here
-      this.xcodebuild.once('exit', async (code, signal) => {
+      this.xcodebuild.once('exit', (code, signal) => {
         xcodeLog.error(`xcodebuild exited with code '${code}' and signal '${signal}'`);
-        this.xcodebuild?.removeAllListeners();
-        const xcodeErrorMessage = this._wdaErrorMessage.join('\n');
-        this._wdaErrorMessage = [];
-        // print out the xcodebuild file if users have asked for it
-        if (this.showXcodeLog && this._logLocation) {
-          xcodeLog.error(`Contents of xcodebuild log file '${this._logLocation}':`);
-          try {
-            const logFile = readline.createInterface({
-              input: fs.createReadStream(this._logLocation),
-              terminal: false
-            });
-            logFile.on('line', (line) => {
-              xcodeLog.error(line);
-            });
-            await new B((_resolve) => {
-              logFile.once('close', () => {
-                logFile.removeAllListeners();
-                _resolve();
-              });
-            });
-          } catch (err) {
-            xcodeLog.error(`Unable to access xcodebuild log file: '${err.message}'`);
-          }
-        }
+        this.xcodebuild.removeAllListeners();
         this.didProcessExit = true;
         if (this._didBuildFail || (!signal && code !== 0)) {
-          return reject(new Error(`xcodebuild failed with code ${code}\n` +
-            `xcodebuild error message:\n${xcodeErrorMessage}`));
+          let errorMessage = `xcodebuild failed with code ${code}.` +
+            ` This usually indicates an issue with the local Xcode setup or WebDriverAgent` +
+            ` project configuration or the driver-to-platform version mismatch.`;
+          if (!this.showXcodeLog) {
+            errorMessage += ` Consider setting 'showXcodeLog' capability to true in` +
+              ` order to check the Appium server log for build-related error messages.`;
+          } else if (this.realDevice) {
+            errorMessage += ` Consider checking the WebDriverAgent configuration guide` +
+              ` for real iOS devices at` +
+              ` https://github.com/appium/appium-xcuitest-driver/blob/master/docs/real-device-config.md.`;
+          }
+          return reject(new Error(errorMessage));
         }
         // in the case of just building, the process will exit and that is our finish
         if (buildOnly) {
@@ -385,7 +354,6 @@ class XcodeBuild {
       return (async () => {
         try {
           const timer = new timing.Timer().start();
-          // @ts-ignore this.xcodebuild must be defined
           await this.xcodebuild.start(true);
           if (!buildOnly) {
             let status = await this.waitForStart(timer);