diff --git a/src/ForceFreeStates/EulerLagrange.jl b/src/ForceFreeStates/EulerLagrange.jl
index f107680fa1..db085067c1 100644
--- a/src/ForceFreeStates/EulerLagrange.jl
+++ b/src/ForceFreeStates/EulerLagrange.jl
@@ -901,8 +901,15 @@ const COLUMN_ABSTOL_CALLBACK = DiscreteCallback((u, t, integrator) -> true, refr
 
 Vern9 solve of an Euler-Lagrange problem returning the end state, with the per-column abstol of `column_abstol!`.
 A custom `callback` must refresh that abstol itself, after any reduction or renormalization of the state.
+Errors when the solver stops short of the interval's end (e.g. the step size underflows), naming the ψ reached.
 """
-solve_el(prob, rtol; callback=COLUMN_ABSTOL_CALLBACK) = solve(prob, Vern9(); reltol=rtol, abstol=column_abstol(prob.u0, rtol), callback, save_everystep=false, save_end=true)
+function solve_el(prob, rtol; callback=COLUMN_ABSTOL_CALLBACK)
+    sol = solve(prob, Vern9(); reltol=rtol, abstol=column_abstol(prob.u0, rtol), callback, save_everystep=false, save_end=true)
+    SciMLBase.successful_retcode(sol) ||
+        error("Euler-Lagrange integration aborted at ψ = $(@sprintf("%.6f", sol.t[end])) before ψ = $(@sprintf("%.6f", prob.tspan[2])) " *
+              "(retcode $(sol.retcode)). Loosen eulerlagrange_tolerance or refine the ψ grid; for kinetic runs, lower kinetic_factor.")
+    return sol
+end
 
 """
     integrate_el_region!(odet::OdeState, ctrl::ForceFreeStatesControl, equil::Equilibrium.PlasmaEquilibrium, mats::MatrixSplines, intr::ForceFreeStatesInternal, chunk::IntegrationChunk)
diff --git a/test/runtests_eulerlagrange.jl b/test/runtests_eulerlagrange.jl
index e160032af2..2a693a1e12 100644
--- a/test/runtests_eulerlagrange.jl
+++ b/test/runtests_eulerlagrange.jl
@@ -640,3 +640,12 @@ end
         @test !odet.du_store_populated
     end
 end
+
+@testset "solve_el reports an aborted integration" begin
+    FFS = GeneralizedPerturbedEquilibrium.ForceFreeStates
+    # du/dψ = u² blows up at ψ = 1, so the solver stops short of the interval's end.
+    blowup = FFS.ODEProblem((du, u, p, t) -> (du .= u .^ 2), ones(ComplexF64, 1, 1, 2), (0.0, 2.0))
+    @test_throws "Euler-Lagrange integration aborted" FFS.solve_el(blowup, 1e-8)
+    calm = FFS.ODEProblem((du, u, p, t) -> (du .= -u), ones(ComplexF64, 1, 1, 2), (0.0, 1.0))
+    @test FFS.solve_el(calm, 1e-8).u[end] ≈ fill(exp(-1), 1, 1, 2) rtol = 1e-6
+end
diff --git a/test/runtests_solve_api.jl b/test/runtests_solve_api.jl
index 9a2e5ad7d4..db4d2fdfa4 100644
--- a/test/runtests_solve_api.jl
+++ b/test/runtests_solve_api.jl
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ using TOML
             @test api.psilim ≈ reference.psilim rtol = 1e-12
             @test api.kinetic.kmsing == reference.kinetic.kmsing
             @test [s.psifac for s in api.kinetic.kinsing] ≈ [s.psifac for s in reference.kinetic.kinsing]
+
+            # Too large a factor for this coarse deck: the integration aborts near ψ = 0.4 and says so.
+            @test_throws "Euler-Lagrange integration aborted" solve(equil, Forward(); nn=1, wall=wall, dir_path=dir, ffs_kwargs..., kinetic_factor=0.1)
         end
     end