diff --git a/packages/angular_devkit/architect/node/node-modules-architect-host.ts b/packages/angular_devkit/architect/node/node-modules-architect-host.ts
index 232b6503308e..e01394a22d04 100644
--- a/packages/angular_devkit/architect/node/node-modules-architect-host.ts
+++ b/packages/angular_devkit/architect/node/node-modules-architect-host.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,9 @@ export class WorkspaceNodeModulesArchitectHost implements ArchitectHost<NodeModu
           }
 
           if (!targetDefinition.configurations?.[configuration]) {
-            throw new Error(`Configuration '${configuration}' is not set in the workspace.`);
+            throw new Error(
+              `Configuration '${configuration}' for target '${target}' in project '${project}' is not set in the workspace.`,
+            );
           }
 
           return (targetDefinition.configurations?.[configuration] ?? {}) as json.JsonObject;
diff --git a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/unknown-configuration.ts b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/unknown-configuration.ts
index 7b5bbc106702..c74d6547de59 100644
--- a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/unknown-configuration.ts
+++ b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/unknown-configuration.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,11 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert';
 import { ng } from '../../utils/process';
+import { expectToFail } from '../../utils/utils';
 
 export default async function () {
-  try {
-    await ng('build', '--configuration', 'invalid');
-    throw new Error('should have failed.');
-  } catch (error) {
-    if (
-      !(
-        error instanceof Error &&
-        error.message.includes(`Configuration 'invalid' is not set in the workspace`)
-      )
-    ) {
-      throw error;
-    }
-  }
+  const error = await expectToFail(() => ng('build', '--configuration', 'invalid'));
+  assert.match(
+    error.message,
+    /Configuration 'invalid' for target 'build' in project 'test-project' is not set in the workspace/,
+  );
 }