diff --git a/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/__tests__/gatsby-node.js b/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/__tests__/gatsby-node.js
index 0e0a2c8476117..094cf264a93f1 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/__tests__/gatsby-node.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/__tests__/gatsby-node.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jest.mock(`gatsby/graphql`, () => {
   }
 })
 const { sourceNodes } = require(`../gatsby-node`)
-const nodeFetch = require(`node-fetch`)
+const { fetchWrapper } = require(`../fetch`)
 
 const getInternalGatsbyAPI = () => {
   const actions = {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe(`createHttpLink`, () => {
     })
 
     expect(createHttpLink).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.objectContaining({ fetch: nodeFetch })
+      expect.objectContaining({ fetch: fetchWrapper })
     )
   })
 })
diff --git a/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/fetch.js b/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/fetch.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6b6589a04ff11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/fetch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+const nodeFetch = require(`node-fetch`)
+
+// this is passed to the Apollo Link
+// https://www.apollographql.com/docs/link/links/http/#fetch-polyfill
+
+exports.fetchWrapper = async (uri, options) => {
+  const response = await nodeFetch(uri, options)
+
+  if (response.status >= 400) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Source GraphQL API: HTTP error ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`
+    )
+  }
+
+  return response
+}
diff --git a/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/gatsby-node.js b/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/gatsby-node.js
index 50197dfedb7a4..eea80e1a247f2 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/gatsby-node.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-source-graphql/src/gatsby-node.js
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ const {
 } = require(`@graphql-tools/wrap`)
 const { linkToExecutor } = require(`@graphql-tools/links`)
 const { createHttpLink } = require(`apollo-link-http`)
-const nodeFetch = require(`node-fetch`)
 const invariant = require(`invariant`)
+const { fetchWrapper } = require(`./fetch`)
 const { createDataloaderLink } = require(`./batching/dataloader-link`)
 
 const {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ exports.sourceNodes = async (
     typeName,
     fieldName,
     headers = {},
-    fetch = nodeFetch,
+    fetch = fetchWrapper,
     fetchOptions = {},
     createLink,
     createSchema,