diff --git a/src/tools/atlas/atlasTool.ts b/src/tools/atlas/atlasTool.ts
index 6c74bb8..2b93a5e 100644
--- a/src/tools/atlas/atlasTool.ts
+++ b/src/tools/atlas/atlasTool.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
-import { ToolBase, ToolCategory, TelemetryToolMetadata } from "../tool.js";
+import { ToolBase, ToolCategory, TelemetryToolMetadata, ToolArgs } from "../tool.js";
 import { ToolCallback } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/mcp.js";
+import { CallToolResult } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/types.js";
 import logger, { LogId } from "../../logger.js";
 import { z } from "zod";
+import { ApiClientError } from "../../common/atlas/apiClientError.js";
 
 export abstract class AtlasToolBase extends ToolBase {
     protected category: ToolCategory = "atlas";
@@ -13,6 +15,50 @@ export abstract class AtlasToolBase extends ToolBase {
         return super.verifyAllowed();
     }
 
+    protected handleError(
+        error: unknown,
+        args: ToolArgs<typeof this.argsShape>
+    ): Promise<CallToolResult> | CallToolResult {
+        if (error instanceof ApiClientError) {
+            const statusCode = error.response.status;
+
+            if (statusCode === 401) {
+                return {
+                    content: [
+                        {
+                            type: "text",
+                            text: `Unable to authenticate with MongoDB Atlas, API error: ${error.message}
+
+Hint: Your API credentials may be invalid, expired or lack permissions. 
+Please check your Atlas API credentials and ensure they have the appropriate permissions.
+For more information on setting up API keys, visit: https://www.mongodb.com/docs/atlas/configure-api-access/`,
+                        },
+                    ],
+                    isError: true,
+                };
+            }
+
+            if (statusCode === 403) {
+                return {
+                    content: [
+                        {
+                            type: "text",
+                            text: `Received a Forbidden API Error: ${error.message}
+                            
+You don't have sufficient permissions to perform this action in MongoDB Atlas
+Please ensure your API key has the necessary roles assigned.
+For more information on Atlas API access roles, visit: https://www.mongodb.com/docs/atlas/api/service-accounts-overview/`,
+                        },
+                    ],
+                    isError: true,
+                };
+            }
+        }
+
+        // For other types of errors, use the default error handling from the base class
+        return super.handleError(error, args);
+    }
+
     /**
      *
      * Resolves the tool metadata from the arguments passed to the tool