diff --git a/lemur/notifications/messaging.py b/lemur/notifications/messaging.py
index 1fce7636..3dd4fff7 100644
--- a/lemur/notifications/messaging.py
+++ b/lemur/notifications/messaging.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def send_plugin_notification(event_type, data, recipients, notification):
         notification.plugin.send(event_type, data, recipients, notification.options)
         status = SUCCESS_METRIC_STATUS
     except Exception as e:
-        log_data["message"] = f"Unable to send expiration notification to recipients {recipients}"
+        log_data["message"] = f"Unable to send {event_type} notification to recipients {recipients}"
         current_app.logger.error(log_data, exc_info=True)
         sentry.captureException()
 
diff --git a/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/plugin.py b/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/plugin.py
index a0b72d94..8a54b035 100644
--- a/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/plugin.py
+++ b/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/plugin.py
@@ -454,7 +454,4 @@ class SNSNotificationPlugin(ExpirationNotificationPlugin):
                     f"{self.get_option('topicName', options)}"
 
         current_app.logger.debug(f"Publishing {notification_type} notification to topic {topic_arn}")
-        try:
-            sns.publish(topic_arn, message, notification_type, region_name=self.get_option("region", options))
-        except Exception:
-            current_app.logger.exception(f"Error publishing {notification_type} notification to topic {topic_arn}")
+        sns.publish(topic_arn, message, notification_type, region_name=self.get_option("region", options))
diff --git a/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/sns.py b/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/sns.py
index 3aeb14da..f9fd4a07 100644
--- a/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/sns.py
+++ b/lemur/plugins/lemur_aws/sns.py
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ def publish_single(sns_client, topic_arn, certificate, notification_type):
 
     response_code = response["ResponseMetadata"]["HTTPStatusCode"]
     if response_code != 200:
-        raise Exception(f"Failed to publish notification to SNS, response code was {response_code}")
+        raise Exception(f"Failed to publish {notification_type} notification to SNS topic {topic_arn}. "
+                        f"SNS response: {response_code} {response}")
 
     current_app.logger.debug(f"AWS SNS message published to topic [{topic_arn}]: [{response}]")
 
diff --git a/lemur/plugins/lemur_slack/plugin.py b/lemur/plugins/lemur_slack/plugin.py
index ba2baf40..70d97aa5 100644
--- a/lemur/plugins/lemur_slack/plugin.py
+++ b/lemur/plugins/lemur_slack/plugin.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class SlackNotificationPlugin(ExpirationNotificationPlugin):
             raise Exception("Unable to create message attachments")
 
         body = {
-            "text": "Lemur {0} Notification".format(notification_type.capitalize()),
+            "text": f"Lemur {notification_type.capitalize()} Notification",
             "attachments": attachments,
             "channel": self.get_option("recipients", options),
             "username": self.get_option("username", options),
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ class SlackNotificationPlugin(ExpirationNotificationPlugin):
         r = requests.post(self.get_option("webhook", options), json.dumps(body))
 
         if r.status_code not in [200]:
-            raise Exception("Failed to send message")
+            raise Exception(f"Failed to send message. Slack response: {r.status_code} {body}")
 
         current_app.logger.info(
-            "Slack response: {0} Message Body: {1}".format(r.status_code, body)
+            f"Slack response: {r.status_code} Message Body: {body}"
         )