diff --git a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/modals/CancelActivityModal/helpers.ts b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/modals/CancelActivityModal/helpers.ts
index ba6c51f65a..d38446e394 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/modals/CancelActivityModal/helpers.ts
+++ b/frontend/pages/hosts/details/HostDetailsPage/modals/CancelActivityModal/helpers.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
-import { getErrorReason } from "interfaces/errors";
+import { isAxiosError } from "axios";
 
-const DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE = "An error occurred. Please try again.";
+const DEFAULT_ERR_MESSAGE = "Couldn't cancel activity. Please try again.";
+const LOCK_WIPE_ERR_MESSAGE =
+  "Couldn't cancel activity. Lock and wipe can't be canceled if they're about to run to prevent you from losing access to the host.";
+const ACTIVITY_ALREADY_HAPPENED_ERR_MESSAGE =
+  "Couldn't cancel activity. Activity already happened.";
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/prefer-default-export
 export const getErrorMessage = (err: unknown) => {
-  const reason = getErrorReason(err);
+  if (isAxiosError(err)) {
+    if (err.status === 404) return ACTIVITY_ALREADY_HAPPENED_ERR_MESSAGE;
 
-  return `Couldn't cancel activity. ${reason || DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE}`;
+    // display server error message if error is 400
+    if (err.status === 400) return LOCK_WIPE_ERR_MESSAGE;
+  }
+
+  return DEFAULT_ERR_MESSAGE;
 };