diff --git a/src/rebar3_hex_build.erl b/src/rebar3_hex_build.erl
index d901507e..92418569 100644
--- a/src/rebar3_hex_build.erl
+++ b/src/rebar3_hex_build.erl
@@ -63,21 +63,24 @@ create_package(State, #{name := RepoName} = _Repo, App) ->
                 | OptionalFiltered
             ]),
 
-            Tarball = create_package_tarball(Metadata, PackageFiles),
-
-            Package = #{
-                name => PkgName,
-                repo_name => RepoName,
-                deps => Deps1,
-                version => Version,
-                metadata => Metadata,
-                files => PackageFiles,
-                tarball => Tarball,
-                has_checkouts => has_checkouts(State)
-            },
-            {ok, Package};
-        {error, _} = Err ->
-            Err
+            case create_package_tarball(Metadata, PackageFiles) of
+                {error, _} = Err ->
+                    Err;
+                Tarball ->
+                    Package = #{
+                        name => PkgName,
+                        repo_name => RepoName,
+                        deps => Deps1,
+                        version => Version,
+                        metadata => Metadata,
+                        files => PackageFiles,
+                        tarball => Tarball,
+                        has_checkouts => has_checkouts(State)
+                    },
+                    {ok, Package}
+            end;
+        Error ->
+            Error
     end.
 
 update_versions(ConfigDeps, LockDeps) ->
@@ -178,8 +181,8 @@ create_docs(State, Repo, App, Args) ->
                             {ok, #{
                                 tarball => Tarball, name => binarify(PkgName), vsn => binarify(Vsn)
                             }};
-                        {error, _} = Err ->
-                            Err;
+                        {error, Reason}  ->
+                            {error, hex_tarball:format_error(Reason)};
                         Err ->
                             Err
                     end;
@@ -268,8 +271,8 @@ create_package_tarball(Metadata, Files) ->
     case hex_tarball:create(Metadata, Files) of
         {ok, #{tarball := Tarball, inner_checksum := _Checksum}} ->
             Tarball;
-        {error, _} = Err ->
-            Err;
+        {error, Reason} ->
+            {error, hex_tarball:format_error(Reason)};
         Error ->
             Error
     end.
diff --git a/src/rebar3_hex_publish.erl b/src/rebar3_hex_publish.erl
index ba247464..6c965485 100644
--- a/src/rebar3_hex_publish.erl
+++ b/src/rebar3_hex_publish.erl
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ format_error({app_not_found, AppName}) ->
      io_lib:format("App ~s specified with --app switch not found in project", [AppName]);
 format_error(bad_command) ->
         "bad command";
+format_error({create_package, {error, Err}}) when is_list(Err) -> 
+    io_lib:format("Error creating package : ~ts", [Err]);
 format_error({publish_package, app_switch_required}) ->
     "--app required when publishing with the package argument in a umbrella";
 format_error({publish_docs, app_switch_required}) ->
@@ -119,6 +121,13 @@ format_error({publish, {error, #{<<"message">> := Message}}}) ->
     io_lib:format("Failed to publish package: ~ts", [Message]);
 format_error({create_docs, {error, {doc_provider_not_found, PrvName}}}) ->
    io_lib:format("The ~ts documentation provider could not be found", [PrvName]);
+format_error({create_docs, {error, {doc_provider_failed, PrvName}}}) ->
+   io_lib:format("The ~ts documentation provider failed", [PrvName]);
+format_error({create_docs, {error, missing_doc_index}}) ->
+    "No index.html file was found in expected docs directory.\n"
+    "If you provided --doc-dir option ensure that your docs were generated before running this task.\n"
+    "Otherwise, check that your preferred doc provider is properly generating docs outside the scope of this task.\n"
+    "Once resolved, run rebar3 hex publish docs <options> to publish only the docs for this version of your package.\n";
 format_error({non_hex_deps, Excluded}) ->
     Err = "Can not publish package because the following deps are not available"
          ++ " in hex: ~s",
@@ -369,6 +378,8 @@ create_docs(State, Repo, App, Args) ->
     case rebar3_hex_build:create_docs(State, Repo, App, Args) of
         {ok, Docs} ->
             Docs;
+        {error, no_doc_config} ->
+            rebar_api:warn("No documentation provider was configured, docs will not be generated.", []);
         Err ->
             ?RAISE({create_docs, Err})
     end.