diff --git a/internal/services/v1/collector_work.go b/internal/services/v1/collector_work.go
index 6ef911c5..c0761443 100644
--- a/internal/services/v1/collector_work.go
+++ b/internal/services/v1/collector_work.go
@@ -223,12 +223,24 @@ func (f *collectorWorkFactory) Build(creds models.Credentials) work.WorkBuilder2
 
 				if result.HasErrors() {
 					log.Errorw("schema validation errors", "errors", result.Errors)
-					r.Err = fmt.Errorf("schema validation failed: %v", result.Errors)
+					r.Err = result.Error()
+					for _, e := range result.Errors {
+						if e.Code == "MISSING_CLUSTER" || e.Code == "NO_VMS" {
+							r.Err = fmt.Errorf("%w — this may indicate insufficient vCenter permissions; VMware can return incomplete inventory without an explicit permission error; verify your vCenter user has read-only access to all clusters and hosts", r.Err)
+							break
+						}
+					}
 					return r, r.Err
 				}
 
 				if len(result.Warnings) > 0 {
-					log.Warnw("schema validation warnings", "warnings", result.Warnings)
+					for _, w := range result.Warnings {
+						if w.Code == "EMPTY_NETWORKS" || w.Code == "EMPTY_HOSTS" || w.Code == "EMPTY_DATASTORES" {
+							log.Warnw("schema validation warning (may indicate insufficient permissions)", "code", w.Code, "message", w.Message)
+						} else {
+							log.Warnw("schema validation warning", "code", w.Code, "message", w.Message)
+						}
+					}
 				}
 
 				log.Info("sqlite data successfully ingested into duckdb")
diff --git a/internal/services/v2/collector_work.go b/internal/services/v2/collector_work.go
index 4e62daa0..d839b829 100644
--- a/internal/services/v2/collector_work.go
+++ b/internal/services/v2/collector_work.go
@@ -243,12 +243,24 @@ func (f *vCenterCollectorWorkFactory) Build() work.WorkBuilder2[models.Collector
 
 				if result.HasErrors() {
 					log.Errorw("schema validation errors", "errors", result.Errors)
-					r.Err = fmt.Errorf("schema validation failed: %v", result.Errors)
+					r.Err = result.Error()
+					for _, e := range result.Errors {
+						if e.Code == "MISSING_CLUSTER" || e.Code == "NO_VMS" {
+							r.Err = fmt.Errorf("%w — this may indicate insufficient vCenter permissions; VMware can return incomplete inventory without an explicit permission error; verify your vCenter user has read-only access to all clusters and hosts", r.Err)
+							break
+						}
+					}
 					return r, r.Err
 				}
 
 				if len(result.Warnings) > 0 {
-					log.Warnw("schema validation warnings", "warnings", result.Warnings)
+					for _, w := range result.Warnings {
+						if w.Code == "EMPTY_NETWORKS" || w.Code == "EMPTY_HOSTS" || w.Code == "EMPTY_DATASTORES" {
+							log.Warnw("schema validation warning (may indicate insufficient permissions)", "code", w.Code, "message", w.Message)
+						} else {
+							log.Warnw("schema validation warning", "code", w.Code, "message", w.Message)
+						}
+					}
 				}
 
 				log.Info("sqlite data successfully ingested into duckdb")