diff --git a/packages/validator/src/util/externalSignerClient.ts b/packages/validator/src/util/externalSignerClient.ts
index 7cd01c81ff2..374da79b798 100644
--- a/packages/validator/src/util/externalSignerClient.ts
+++ b/packages/validator/src/util/externalSignerClient.ts
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ export async function externalSignerUpCheck(remoteUrl: string): Promise<boolean>
 async function handleExternalSignerResponse<T>(res: Response): Promise<T> {
   if (!res.ok) {
     const errBody = await res.text();
-    throw Error(errBody ? getErrorMessage(errBody) : res.statusText);
+    throw Error(errBody || res.statusText);
   }
 
   const contentType = res.headers.get("content-type");
@@ -194,15 +194,6 @@ async function handleExternalSignerResponse<T>(res: Response): Promise<T> {
   }
 }
 
-function getErrorMessage(errBody: string): string {
-  try {
-    const errJson = JSON.parse(errBody) as {message?: string};
-    return errJson.message ?? errBody;
-  } catch (e) {
-    return errBody;
-  }
-}
-
 function serializerSignableMessagePayload(config: BeaconConfig, payload: SignableMessage): Record<string, unknown> {
   switch (payload.type) {
     case SignableMessageType.AGGREGATION_SLOT: