diff --git a/mistral/executors/default_executor.py b/mistral/executors/default_executor.py
index 661901abb..2de8dc874 100644
--- a/mistral/executors/default_executor.py
+++ b/mistral/executors/default_executor.py
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ class DefaultExecutor(base.Executor):
 
         except BaseException as e:
             msg = (
-                "The action raised an exception [action_ex_id=%s, "
-                "action_cls='%s', attributes='%s', params='%s']\n %s" % (
+                "The action raised an exception [action_ex_id=%s, msg='%s', "
+                "action_cls='%s', attributes='%s', params='%s']" % (
                     action_ex_id,
+                    e,
                     action_cls,
                     action_cls_attrs,
-                    params,
-                    e
+                    params
                 )
             )
 
diff --git a/mistral/tests/unit/engine/test_error_handling.py b/mistral/tests/unit/engine/test_error_handling.py
index f73fd3781..94e73002e 100644
--- a/mistral/tests/unit/engine/test_error_handling.py
+++ b/mistral/tests/unit/engine/test_error_handling.py
@@ -821,3 +821,35 @@ class ErrorHandlingEngineTest(base.EngineTestCase):
             task_ex = wf_ex.task_executions[0]
 
             self.assertDictEqual({'my_var': 2}, task_ex.published)
+
+    def test_action_error_message_format(self):
+        wf_text = """---
+        version: '2.0'
+
+        wf:
+          tasks:
+            task1:
+              action: std.fail
+        """
+
+        wf_service.create_workflows(wf_text)
+
+        wf_ex = self.engine.start_workflow('wf')
+
+        self.await_workflow_error(wf_ex.id)
+
+        with db_api.transaction():
+            wf_ex = db_api.get_workflow_execution(wf_ex.id)
+
+            self.assertEqual(1, len(wf_ex.task_executions))
+
+            task_ex = wf_ex.task_executions[0]
+
+            expected = (
+                "The action raised an exception [action_ex_id=%s, "
+                "msg='Fail action expected exception.'"
+            ) % task_ex.action_executions[0].id
+
+            # Making sure that the actual error message goes before
+            # other debugging information.
+            self.assertTrue(task_ex.state_info.startswith(expected))
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/include_root_cause_of_action_error_first-4a730a7cbc36f375.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/include_root_cause_of_action_error_first-4a730a7cbc36f375.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d3b6233c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/include_root_cause_of_action_error_first-4a730a7cbc36f375.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Some users rely on the presence of the root error related to
+    running an action and it's not convenient that it is now in
+    the end of the string, e.g. if we look at the corresponding
+    task execution "state_info" field. Now a cause error message
+    is included in the beginning of the resulting error string
+    returned by the action executor so that it's clearly visible.
+    This message can be also truncated in some cases (depending on
+    the config option) so we need to make sure we keep the cause
+    error message.