diff --git a/src/core_plugins/metrics/public/components/error.js b/src/core_plugins/metrics/public/components/error.js
index deafa04eb1b6d..a88477eb5b25c 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/metrics/public/components/error.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/metrics/public/components/error.js
@@ -5,18 +5,22 @@ function ErrorComponent(props) {
   const { error } = props;
   let additionalInfo;
   const type = _.get(error, 'error.caused_by.type');
+  let reason = _.get(error, 'error.caused_by.reason');
+
+  if (!reason) {
+    reason = _.get(error, 'message');
+  }
 
   if (type === 'script_exception') {
     const scriptStack = _.get(error, 'error.caused_by.script_stack');
-    const reason = _.get(error, 'error.caused_by.caused_by.reason');
+    reason = _.get(error, 'error.caused_by.caused_by.reason');
     additionalInfo = (
       <div className="metrics_error__additional">
         <div className="metrics_error__reason">{ reason }</div>
         <div className="metrics_error__stack">{ scriptStack.join('\n')}</div>
       </div>
     );
-  } else {
-    const reason = _.get(error, 'error.caused_by.reason');
+  } else if (reason) {
     additionalInfo = (
       <div className="metrics_error__additional">
         <div className="metrics_error__reason">{ reason }</div>
diff --git a/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_error_response.js b/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_error_response.js
index 6a8a8d1c08c1b..f322277d74b93 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_error_response.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_error_response.js
@@ -7,10 +7,16 @@ export default panel => error => {
   } catch (e) {
     errorResponse = error.response;
   }
+  if (!errorResponse) {
+    errorResponse = {
+      message: error.message,
+      stack: error.stack
+    };
+  }
   result[panel.id] = {
     id: panel.id,
     statusCode: error.statusCode,
-    error: errorResponse || error,
+    error: errorResponse,
     series: []
   };
   return result;
diff --git a/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_response_body.js b/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_response_body.js
index a2d531bed213d..e08b265560f80 100644
--- a/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_response_body.js
+++ b/src/core_plugins/metrics/server/lib/vis_data/handle_response_body.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import buildProcessorFunction from './build_processor_function';
 import processors from './response_processors/series';
+import { get } from 'lodash';
 
 export default function handleResponseBody(panel) {
   return resp => {
@@ -8,7 +9,13 @@ export default function handleResponseBody(panel) {
       err.response = JSON.stringify(resp);
       throw err;
     }
-    const keys = Object.keys(resp.aggregations);
+    const aggregations = get(resp, 'aggregations');
+    if (!aggregations) {
+      const message = `The aggregations key is missing from the response,
+        check your permissions for this request.`;
+      throw Error(message);
+    }
+    const keys = Object.keys(aggregations);
     if (keys.length !== 1) throw Error('There should only be one series per request.');
     const seriesId = keys[0];
     const series = panel.series.find(s => s.id === seriesId);