diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a76cc7a1..039c3940 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - #971: Adds structured test output formats (JSON, YAML, Toon). Use `-f <format>` for a one-shot override or `config set TestReportFormat <format>` for a persistent default. Without either, legacy output is shown. Also adds `-output-file` for writing results to a file (including JUnit XML via `.xml` extension) and improves `-quiet` to suppress build noise.
 
 ### Fixed
+- #964: Fix poor error handling on some install failures due to incorrect error message variable in embedded SQL
 - #1130: Fix issue with ORAS repositories pointing to some OCI registries that require authentication (e.g. ghcr.io) not accepting credentials properly. `repo -list` now shows an `Authenticated?` status for ORAS repos with credentials configured.
 - #1001: The `unmap` and `enable` commands will now only activate CPF merge once after all namespaces have been configured instead after every namespace
 - #1052: In a namespace with mapped IPM, the `info` command works again and the intro message displays the IPM version and where its mapped from
diff --git a/src/cls/IPM/Main.cls b/src/cls/IPM/Main.cls
index 3871ecdb..353f19f1 100644
--- a/src/cls/IPM/Main.cls
+++ b/src/cls/IPM/Main.cls
@@ -2435,9 +2435,9 @@ ClassMethod Install(
             $$$ThrowOnError(..CheckModuleNamespace())
         }
         // check if any registries are configured and enabled
-        new SQLCODE, count
+        new SQLCODE, count, %msg
         &sql(SELECT COUNT(*) into :count FROM %IPM_Repo.Definition WHERE Enabled = 1)
-        $$$ThrowSQLIfError(SQLCODE,%message)
+        $$$ThrowSQLIfError(SQLCODE,%msg)
         if (SQLCODE = 0) && (count = 0) {
             $$$ThrowStatus($$$ERROR($$$GeneralError, "No repositories are configured and enabled in this namespace."))
         }