diff --git a/.changelog/14145.txt b/.changelog/14145.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5352789d9831
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/14145.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+api: cleanup whitespace on failed api response body
+```
diff --git a/api/api.go b/api/api.go
index adf523f0e2f8..9a16a8333d6a 100644
--- a/api/api.go
+++ b/api/api.go
@@ -1098,9 +1098,10 @@ func requireOK(d time.Duration, resp *http.Response, e error) (time.Duration, *h
 	}
 	if resp.StatusCode != 200 {
 		var buf bytes.Buffer
-		io.Copy(&buf, resp.Body)
-		resp.Body.Close()
-		return d, nil, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected response code: %d (%s)", resp.StatusCode, buf.Bytes())
+		_, _ = io.Copy(&buf, resp.Body)
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
+		body := strings.TrimSpace(buf.String())
+		return d, nil, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected response code: %d (%s)", resp.StatusCode, body)
 	}
 	return d, resp, nil
 }