diff --git a/packages/gatsby/src/internal-plugins/query-runner/graphql-errors.js b/packages/gatsby/src/internal-plugins/query-runner/graphql-errors.js
index 701850fe029fe..2457d06fea31c 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby/src/internal-plugins/query-runner/graphql-errors.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby/src/internal-plugins/query-runner/graphql-errors.js
@@ -176,18 +176,18 @@ export function graphqlError(
     )
   }
 
-  message = `There was an error while compiling your site's GraphQL queries.
-  ${message}
+  let reportedMessage = `There was an error while compiling your site's GraphQL queries.
+  ${message || error.message}
     `
+  
   if (error.message.match(/must be an instance of/)) {
-    message +=
+    reportedMessage +=
       `This usually means that more than one instance of 'graphql' is installed ` +
       `in your node_modules. Remove all but the top level one or run \`npm dedupe\` to fix it.`
   }
 
   if (error.message.match(/Duplicate document/)) {
-    message += `${error.message.slice(21)}\n`
+    reportedMessage += `${error.message.slice(21)}\n`
   }
-
-  return message
+  return reportedMessage
 }