diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_misc.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_misc.erl
index 18ecc644a..59b5b1be9 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_misc.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_misc.erl
@@ -545,10 +545,23 @@ readable_error_msg(Error) ->
                 {ok, Msg} ->
                     Msg;
                 false ->
-                    iolist_to_binary(io_lib:format("~0p", [Error]))
+                    to_hr_error(Error)
             end
     end.
 
+to_hr_error(nxdomain) ->
+    <<"Host not found">>;
+to_hr_error(econnrefused) ->
+    <<"Connection refused">>;
+to_hr_error({unauthorized_client, _}) ->
+    <<"Unauthorized client">>;
+to_hr_error({not_authorized, _}) ->
+    <<"Not authorized">>;
+to_hr_error({malformed_username_or_password, _}) ->
+    <<"Malformed username or password">>;
+to_hr_error(Error) ->
+    iolist_to_binary(io_lib:format("~0p", [Error])).
+
 try_to_existing_atom(Convert, Data, Encoding) ->
     try Convert(Data, Encoding) of
         Atom ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge_api.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge_api.erl
index c0e69ce83..e466b418d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge/src/emqx_bridge_api.erl
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ schema("/bridges_probe") ->
                 ok ->
                     204;
                 {error, Reason} when not is_tuple(Reason); element(1, Reason) =/= 'exit' ->
-                    {400, error_msg('TEST_FAILED', to_hr_reason(Reason))}
+                    {400, error_msg('TEST_FAILED', emqx_misc:readable_error_msg(Reason))}
             end;
         BadRequest ->
             BadRequest
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ call_operation(NodeOrAll, OperFunc, Args = [_Nodes, BridgeType, BridgeName]) ->
         {error, {node_not_found, Node}} ->
             ?NOT_FOUND(<<"Node not found: ", (atom_to_binary(Node))/binary>>);
         {error, Reason} when not is_tuple(Reason); element(1, Reason) =/= 'exit' ->
-            ?BAD_REQUEST(to_hr_reason(Reason))
+            ?BAD_REQUEST(emqx_misc:readable_error_msg(Reason))
     end.
 
 maybe_try_restart(all, start_bridges_to_all_nodes, Args) ->
@@ -1018,19 +1018,6 @@ supported_versions(start_bridge_to_node) -> [2, 3];
 supported_versions(start_bridges_to_all_nodes) -> [2, 3];
 supported_versions(_Call) -> [1, 2, 3].
 
-to_hr_reason(nxdomain) ->
-    <<"Host not found">>;
-to_hr_reason(econnrefused) ->
-    <<"Connection refused">>;
-to_hr_reason({unauthorized_client, _}) ->
-    <<"Unauthorized client">>;
-to_hr_reason({not_authorized, _}) ->
-    <<"Not authorized">>;
-to_hr_reason({malformed_username_or_password, _}) ->
-    <<"Malformed username or password">>;
-to_hr_reason(Reason) ->
-    Reason.
-
 redact(Term) ->
     emqx_misc:redact(Term).