Show nested GitHub API validation messages in tool errors

create_branch currently forwards the compact 422 dump, which hides
ruleset details the GitHub UI already shows. Unwrap ErrorResponse so agents
can see each validation message and recover.

Author: Hashim1999164

pkg/errors/error.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	stderrors "errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/github/github-mcp-server/pkg/utils"
@@ -191,7 +192,56 @@ func NewGitHubAPIErrorResponse(ctx context.Context, message string, resp *github
 			"%s: GitHub secondary rate limit exceeded. Wait before retrying.", message))
 	}
 
-	return utils.NewToolResultErrorFromErr(message, err)
+	return utils.NewToolResultErrorFromErr(message, formattedGitHubAPIError(err))
+}
+
+// formattedGitHubAPIError unwraps a github.ErrorResponse so tool results include
+// nested validation messages (for example repository ruleset violations) instead
+// of go-github's compact 422 dump.
+func formattedGitHubAPIError(err error) error {
+	var ghErr *github.ErrorResponse
+	if !stderrors.As(err, &ghErr) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	var parts []string
+	switch {
+	case ghErr.Response != nil && ghErr.Response.StatusCode != 0 && ghErr.Message != "":
+		parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("HTTP %d %s", ghErr.Response.StatusCode, ghErr.Message))
+	case ghErr.Response != nil && ghErr.Response.StatusCode != 0:
+		parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("HTTP %d", ghErr.Response.StatusCode))
+	case ghErr.Message != "":
+		parts = append(parts, ghErr.Message)
+	}
+
+	for _, item := range ghErr.Errors {
+		detail := strings.TrimSpace(item.Message)
+		if detail == "" {
+			var bits []string
+			if item.Resource != "" {
+				bits = append(bits, item.Resource)
+			}
+			if item.Field != "" {
+				bits = append(bits, item.Field)
+			}
+			if item.Code != "" {
+				bits = append(bits, item.Code)
+			}
+			detail = strings.Join(bits, " ")
+		}
+		if detail != "" {
+			parts = append(parts, detail)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if ghErr.DocumentationURL != "" {
+		parts = append(parts, "See "+ghErr.DocumentationURL)
+	}
+
+	if len(parts) == 0 {
+		return err
+	}
+	return stderrors.New(strings.Join(parts, "\n"))
 }
 
 // NewGitHubGraphQLErrorResponse returns an mcp.NewToolResultError and retains the error in the context for access via middleware

pkg/errors/error_test.go

@@ -687,3 +687,50 @@ func TestNewGitHubAPIErrorResponse_RateLimits(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Contains(t, text, "validation failed")
 	})
 }
+
+func TestNewGitHubAPIErrorResponse_ValidationMessages(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("ruleset ErrorResponse includes nested validation messages", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ctx := ContextWithGitHubErrors(context.Background())
+
+		originalErr := &github.ErrorResponse{
+			Response: &http.Response{StatusCode: http.StatusUnprocessableEntity},
+			Message:  "Validation Failed",
+			Errors: []github.Error{
+				{
+					Resource: "GitRef",
+					Field:    "ref",
+					Code:     "custom",
+					Message:  "ref name does not match the required pattern 'feature/*'",
+				},
+			},
+			DocumentationURL: "https://docs.github.com/rest/git/refs#create-a-reference",
+		}
+
+		result := NewGitHubAPIErrorResponse(ctx, "failed to create branch", nil, originalErr)
+
+		text := requireErrorText(t, result)
+		assert.Contains(t, text, "failed to create branch")
+		assert.Contains(t, text, "HTTP 422 Validation Failed")
+		assert.Contains(t, text, "ref name does not match the required pattern 'feature/*'")
+		assert.Contains(t, text, "See https://docs.github.com/rest/git/refs#create-a-reference")
+		assert.NotContains(t, text, "Resource:")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("wrapped ErrorResponse is still unwrapped", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ctx := ContextWithGitHubErrors(context.Background())
+
+		originalErr := fmt.Errorf("create ref: %w", &github.ErrorResponse{
+			Response: &http.Response{StatusCode: http.StatusUnprocessableEntity},
+			Message:  "Validation Failed",
+			Errors: []github.Error{
+				{Message: "Changes must be made through a pull request."},
+			},
+		})
+
+		result := NewGitHubAPIErrorResponse(ctx, "failed to create branch", nil, originalErr)
+
+		text := requireErrorText(t, result)
+		assert.Contains(t, text, "Changes must be made through a pull request.")
+		assert.NotContains(t, text, "create ref:")
+	})
+}

pkg/github/repositories_test.go

@@ -1098,6 +1098,36 @@ func Test_CreateBranch(t *testing.T) {
 			expectError:    true,
 			expectedErrMsg: "failed to create branch",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "create branch surfaces ruleset validation details",
+			mockedClient: MockHTTPClientWithHandlers(map[string]http.HandlerFunc{
+				GetReposGitRefByOwnerByRepoByRef:           mockResponse(t, http.StatusOK, mockSourceRef),
+				"GET /repos/owner/repo/git/ref/heads/main": mockResponse(t, http.StatusOK, mockSourceRef),
+				PostReposGitRefsByOwnerByRepo: func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+					w.WriteHeader(http.StatusUnprocessableEntity)
+					_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{
+						"message": "Validation Failed",
+						"documentation_url": "https://docs.github.com/rest/git/refs#create-a-reference",
+						"errors": [
+							{
+								"resource": "GitRef",
+								"field": "ref",
+								"code": "custom",
+								"message": "ref name does not match the required pattern 'feature/*'"
+							}
+						]
+					}`))
+				},
+			}),
+			requestArgs: map[string]any{
+				"owner":       "owner",
+				"repo":        "repo",
+				"branch":      "hotfix",
+				"from_branch": "main",
+			},
+			expectError:    true,
+			expectedErrMsg: "ref name does not match the required pattern 'feature/*'",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {