diff --git a/changelog.d/12060.misc b/changelog.d/12060.misc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d771e6a1b393
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/12060.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix error message when a worker process fails to talk to another worker process.
diff --git a/synapse/replication/http/_base.py b/synapse/replication/http/_base.py
index bc1d28dd19b1..2e697c74a6bb 100644
--- a/synapse/replication/http/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/replication/http/_base.py
@@ -268,7 +268,9 @@ async def send_request(*, instance_name: str = "master", **kwargs: Any) -> Any:
                     raise e.to_synapse_error()
                 except Exception as e:
                     _outgoing_request_counter.labels(cls.NAME, "ERR").inc()
-                    raise SynapseError(502, "Failed to talk to main process") from e
+                    raise SynapseError(
+                        502, f"Failed to talk to {instance_name} process"
+                    ) from e
 
                 _outgoing_request_counter.labels(cls.NAME, 200).inc()
                 return result