diff --git a/drivers/exec/driver.go b/drivers/exec/driver.go
index 94c4ca5fba8..bf922a8f71c 100644
--- a/drivers/exec/driver.go
+++ b/drivers/exec/driver.go
@@ -592,14 +592,18 @@ func (d *Driver) handleWait(ctx context.Context, handle *taskHandle, ch chan *dr
 	var result *drivers.ExitResult
 	ps, err := handle.exec.Wait(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
-			Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
-		}
-		// if process state is nil, we've probably been killed, so return a reasonable
-		// exit state to the handlers
+		// if process state is nil, the executor process likely crashed or was
+		// killed (e.g. OOM). Wrap the raw RPC error with a clearer message.
 		if ps == nil {
-			result.ExitCode = -1
-			result.OOMKilled = false
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err:       fmt.Errorf("executor: the executor process terminated unexpectedly: %v", err),
+				ExitCode:  -1,
+				OOMKilled: false,
+			}
+		} else {
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
diff --git a/drivers/java/driver.go b/drivers/java/driver.go
index bf7247de942..8af9f78e38f 100644
--- a/drivers/java/driver.go
+++ b/drivers/java/driver.go
@@ -601,14 +601,18 @@ func (d *Driver) handleWait(ctx context.Context, handle *taskHandle, ch chan *dr
 	var result *drivers.ExitResult
 	ps, err := handle.exec.Wait(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
-			Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
-		}
-		// if process state is nil, we've probably been killed, so return a reasonable
-		// exit state to the handlers
+		// if process state is nil, the executor process likely crashed or was
+		// killed (e.g. OOM). Wrap the raw RPC error with a clearer message.
 		if ps == nil {
-			result.ExitCode = -1
-			result.OOMKilled = false
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err:       fmt.Errorf("executor: the executor process terminated unexpectedly: %v", err),
+				ExitCode:  -1,
+				OOMKilled: false,
+			}
+		} else {
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
diff --git a/drivers/qemu/driver.go b/drivers/qemu/driver.go
index d6c78a5fda2..150fd4ced99 100644
--- a/drivers/qemu/driver.go
+++ b/drivers/qemu/driver.go
@@ -831,14 +831,18 @@ func (d *Driver) handleWait(ctx context.Context, handle *taskHandle, ch chan *dr
 	var result *drivers.ExitResult
 	ps, err := handle.exec.Wait(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
-			Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
-		}
-		// if process state is nil, we've probably been killed, so return a reasonable
-		// exit state to the handlers
+		// if process state is nil, the executor process likely crashed or was
+		// killed (e.g. OOM). Wrap the raw RPC error with a clearer message.
 		if ps == nil {
-			result.ExitCode = -1
-			result.OOMKilled = false
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err:       fmt.Errorf("executor: the executor process terminated unexpectedly: %v", err),
+				ExitCode:  -1,
+				OOMKilled: false,
+			}
+		} else {
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
diff --git a/drivers/rawexec/driver.go b/drivers/rawexec/driver.go
index 1af4a09e204..c66c07adacc 100644
--- a/drivers/rawexec/driver.go
+++ b/drivers/rawexec/driver.go
@@ -498,14 +498,18 @@ func (d *Driver) handleWait(ctx context.Context, handle *taskHandle, ch chan *dr
 	var result *drivers.ExitResult
 	ps, err := handle.exec.Wait(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
-		result = &drivers.ExitResult{
-			Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
-		}
-		// if process state is nil, we've probably been killed, so return a reasonable
-		// exit state to the handlers
+		// if process state is nil, the executor process likely crashed or was
+		// killed (e.g. OOM). Wrap the raw RPC error with a clearer message.
 		if ps == nil {
-			result.ExitCode = -1
-			result.OOMKilled = false
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err:       fmt.Errorf("executor: the executor process terminated unexpectedly: %v", err),
+				ExitCode:  -1,
+				OOMKilled: false,
+			}
+		} else {
+			result = &drivers.ExitResult{
+				Err: fmt.Errorf("executor: error waiting on process: %v", err),
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		result = &drivers.ExitResult{