diff --git a/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/lib/debugger/server.ex b/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/lib/debugger/server.ex
index 23659fb80..92199f2fa 100644
--- a/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/lib/debugger/server.ex
+++ b/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/lib/debugger/server.ex
@@ -665,16 +665,19 @@ defmodule ElixirLS.Debugger.Server do
 
         {:DOWN, ^ref, :process, _pid, reason} ->
           if reason != :normal do
-            Output.debugger_important("Launch request failed")
+            message = "Launch request failed with reason\n" <> Exception.format_exit(reason)
 
-            Output.debugger_console(
-              "Launch request failed with reason\n" <> Exception.format_exit(reason)
-            )
+            Output.debugger_console(message)
 
             exit_code = 1
             Output.send_event("exited", %{"exitCode" => exit_code})
             Output.send_event("terminated", %{"restart" => false})
-            config
+
+            raise ServerError,
+              message: "launchError",
+              format: message,
+              variables: %{},
+              show_user: true
           else
             raise "exit reason #{inspect(reason)} was not expected"
           end
diff --git a/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/test/debugger_test.exs b/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/test/debugger_test.exs
index ecd966dc4..dcfa089b0 100644
--- a/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/test/debugger_test.exs
+++ b/apps/elixir_ls_debugger/test/debugger_test.exs
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ defmodule ElixirLS.Debugger.ServerTest do
   end
 
   @tag :fixture
-  test "launch mix task that fails to initialze", %{server: server} do
+  test "launch mix task that fails to initialize", %{server: server} do
     in_fixture(__DIR__, "mix_project", fn ->
       Server.receive_packet(
         server,
@@ -474,7 +474,20 @@ defmodule ElixirLS.Debugger.ServerTest do
         })
       )
 
-      assert_receive(response(_, 2, "launch", %{}), 5000)
+      assert_receive(
+        error_response(
+          _,
+          2,
+          "launch",
+          "launchError",
+          "Launch request failed with reason" <> _,
+          %{},
+          _,
+          _
+        ),
+        5000
+      )
+
       refute_receive(event(_, "initialized", %{}))
 
       assert_receive event(_, "output", %{