diff --git a/internal/ui/backup/json.go b/internal/ui/backup/json.go
index 64b5de13b..81bbd1047 100644
--- a/internal/ui/backup/json.go
+++ b/internal/ui/backup/json.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (b *JSONProgress) Update(total, processed Counter, errors uint, currentFile
 func (b *JSONProgress) ScannerError(item string, err error) error {
 	b.error(errorUpdate{
 		MessageType: "error",
-		Error:       err,
+		Error:       err.Error(),
 		During:      "scan",
 		Item:        item,
 	})
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (b *JSONProgress) ScannerError(item string, err error) error {
 func (b *JSONProgress) Error(item string, err error) error {
 	b.error(errorUpdate{
 		MessageType: "error",
-		Error:       err,
+		Error:       err.Error(),
 		During:      "archival",
 		Item:        item,
 	})
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ type statusUpdate struct {
 
 type errorUpdate struct {
 	MessageType string `json:"message_type"` // "error"
-	Error       error  `json:"error"`
+	Error       string `json:"error"`
 	During      string `json:"during"`
 	Item        string `json:"item"`
 }