diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade.go b/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade.go
index 9789b50472f..44eda872f31 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade.go
@@ -117,3 +117,9 @@ func (u *UpgradeError) GetErrorReceipt() ErrorReceipt {
 		Message:  fmt.Sprintf("ABCI code: %d: %s", code, restoreErrorString),
 	}
 }
+
+// IsUpgradeError returns true if err is of type UpgradeError, otherwise false.
+func IsUpgradeError(err error) bool {
+	_, ok := err.(*UpgradeError)
+	return ok
+}
diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade_test.go b/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade_test.go
index 5dc3babc8d9..87749cc5d49 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade_test.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/types/upgrade_test.go
@@ -171,3 +171,45 @@ func (suite *TypesTestSuite) TestUpgradeErrorUnwrap() {
 	suite.Require().Equal(types.ErrInvalidChannel, unWrapped, "unwrapped error was not equal to base underlying error")
 	suite.Require().Equal(originalUpgradeError, postUnwrapUpgradeError, "original error was modified when unwrapped")
 }
+
+func (suite *TypesTestSuite) TestIsUpgradeError() {
+	var err error
+
+	testCases := []struct {
+		msg      string
+		malleate func()
+		expPass  bool
+	}{
+		{
+			"true",
+			func() {},
+			true,
+		},
+		{
+			"false with non upgrade error",
+			func() {
+				err = errors.New("error")
+			},
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			"false with nil error",
+			func() {
+				err = nil
+			},
+			false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		tc := tc
+		suite.Run(tc.msg, func() {
+			err = types.NewUpgradeError(1, types.ErrInvalidChannel)
+
+			tc.malleate()
+
+			res := types.IsUpgradeError(err)
+			suite.Require().Equal(tc.expPass, res)
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
index bfb4ba148b0..94d3f6df43e 100644
--- a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
+++ b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
@@ -768,8 +768,8 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeTry(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	upgrade, err := k.ChannelKeeper.ChanUpgradeTry(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, msg.ProposedUpgradeConnectionHops, msg.UpgradeTimeout, msg.CounterpartyProposedUpgrade, msg.CounterpartyUpgradeSequence, msg.ProofChannel, msg.ProofUpgrade, msg.ProofHeight)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade try failed", "error", errorsmod.Wrap(err, "channel upgrade try failed"))
-		if upgradeErr, ok := err.(*channeltypes.UpgradeError); ok {
-			k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgradeErr)
+		if channeltypes.IsUpgradeError(err) {
+			k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err)
 			cbs.OnChanUpgradeRestore(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId)
 
 			// NOTE: a FAILURE result is returned to the client and an error receipt is written to state.
@@ -823,8 +823,8 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeAck(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	err = k.ChannelKeeper.ChanUpgradeAck(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, msg.CounterpartyFlushStatus, msg.CounterpartyUpgrade, msg.ProofChannel, msg.ProofUpgrade, msg.ProofHeight)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade ack failed", "error", errorsmod.Wrap(err, "channel upgrade ack failed"))
-		if upgradeErr, ok := err.(*channeltypes.UpgradeError); ok {
-			k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgradeErr)
+		if channeltypes.IsUpgradeError(err) {
+			k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err)
 			cbs.OnChanUpgradeRestore(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId)
 
 			// NOTE: a FAILURE result is returned to the client and an error receipt is written to state.