diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 46d716d48..f6e839210 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     "@juggle/resize-observer": "^3.3.1",
     "@lezer/highlight": "^1.0.0",
     "@raspberrypifoundation/design-system-react": "^2.7.0",
+    "@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages": "^0.1.6",
     "@react-three/drei": "9.114.3",
     "@react-three/fiber": "^8.0.13",
     "@reduxjs/toolkit": "^1.6.2",
diff --git a/src/assets/stylesheets/ErrorMessage.scss b/src/assets/stylesheets/ErrorMessage.scss
index fbbf14acb..eb560bc7f 100644
--- a/src/assets/stylesheets/ErrorMessage.scss
+++ b/src/assets/stylesheets/ErrorMessage.scss
@@ -22,3 +22,13 @@
     @include font-size-2(regular);
   }
 }
+
+.error-explanation__content {
+  margin: 0.5rem;
+  padding: 1rem;
+  background-color: #f8f8f8;
+
+  div {
+    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/components/Editor/ErrorMessage/ErrorMessage.jsx b/src/components/Editor/ErrorMessage/ErrorMessage.jsx
index 1d50af989..af8307b3d 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor/ErrorMessage/ErrorMessage.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Editor/ErrorMessage/ErrorMessage.jsx
@@ -1,21 +1,68 @@
-import React, { useContext, useEffect, useRef } from "react";
+import React, { useContext, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+
 import "../../../assets/stylesheets/ErrorMessage.scss";
+
 import { useSelector } from "react-redux";
+
 import { SettingsContext } from "../../../utils/settings";
 
+import {
+  loadCopydeckFor,
+  registerAdapter,
+  pyodideAdapter,
+  friendlyExplain,
+} from "@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages";
+
 const ErrorMessage = () => {
   const message = useRef();
+  const errorExplanation = useRef();
   const error = useSelector((state) => state.editor.error);
+  const errorLine = useSelector((state) => state.editor.errorLine);
+  const code = useSelector((state) => state.editor.code);
+  console.log("ErrorMessage render", { error: error, code: code });
+  // TODO: highlight the error line in the code editor
+  // const errorLineNumber = useSelector((state) => state.editor.errorLineNumber);
   const settings = useContext(SettingsContext);
+  const [isReady, setIsReady] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (message.current) {
+    loadCopydeckFor(navigator.language).then(() => {
+      // TODO: adapt based on runner
+      // state.editor.activeRunner (and/or loadedRunner) will provide either "pyodide" or "skulpt"
+      registerAdapter("pyodide", pyodideAdapter);
+      setIsReady(true);
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!message.current || !error || !isReady) return;
+    try {
+      const explanation = friendlyExplain({
+        error: error,
+        code: code || errorLine,
+        runtime: "pyodide",
+      });
+      const explained = explanation.html || explanation.summary;
+      message.current.innerHTML = error;
+      if (explained) {
+        errorExplanation.current.innerHTML += `${explained}`;
+      }
+    } catch {
       message.current.innerHTML = error;
     }
-  }, [error]);
+  }, [error, errorLine, isReady]);
+
   return error ? (
     <div className={`error-message error-message--${settings.fontSize}`}>
       <pre ref={message} className="error-message__content"></pre>
+      <div
+        className={`error-explanation error-explanation--${settings.fontSize}`}
+      >
+        <div
+          ref={errorExplanation}
+          className="error-explanation__content"
+        ></div>
+      </div>
     </div>
   ) : null;
 };
diff --git a/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/PyodideRunner/PyodideRunner.jsx b/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/PyodideRunner/PyodideRunner.jsx
index 0d39afe80..468d2d099 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/PyodideRunner/PyodideRunner.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/PyodideRunner/PyodideRunner.jsx
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import classNames from "classnames";
 import {
   setError,
+  setErrorLine,
+  setErrorLineNumber,
   codeRunHandled,
   setLoadedRunner,
   updateProjectComponent,
@@ -192,6 +194,8 @@ const PyodideRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
 
   const handleError = (file, line, mistake, type, info) => {
     let errorMessage;
+    let errorLine = "";
+    let errorLineNumber = null;
 
     if (type === "KeyboardInterrupt") {
       errorMessage = t("output.errors.interrupted");
@@ -203,6 +207,25 @@ const PyodideRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
         errorMessage += `:\n${mistake}`;
       }
 
+      if (line && file) {
+        errorLineNumber = line;
+        const lastDotIndex = file.lastIndexOf(".");
+        const fileName =
+          lastDotIndex > 0 ? file.substring(0, lastDotIndex) : file;
+        const fileExtension =
+          lastDotIndex > 0 ? file.substring(lastDotIndex + 1) : "";
+        const component = projectCode.find(
+          (item) => item.name === fileName && item.extension === fileExtension,
+        );
+        if (component && component.content) {
+          const lines = component.content.split("\n");
+          // line numbers are 1-indexed, array is 0-indexed
+          if (line > 0 && line <= lines.length) {
+            errorLine = lines[line - 1];
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
       const { createError } = ApiCallHandler({
         reactAppApiEndpoint,
       });
@@ -210,6 +233,8 @@ const PyodideRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
     }
 
     dispatch(setError(errorMessage));
+    dispatch(setErrorLine(errorLine));
+    dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(errorLineNumber));
     disableInput();
   };
 
@@ -256,6 +281,8 @@ const PyodideRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
   const handleRun = async () => {
     output.current.innerHTML = "";
     dispatch(setError(""));
+    dispatch(setErrorLine(""));
+    dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(null));
     setVisuals([]);
     stdinClosed.current = false;
 
diff --git a/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/SkulptRunner/SkulptRunner.jsx b/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/SkulptRunner/SkulptRunner.jsx
index 0e19c63c7..a0abf4439 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/SkulptRunner/SkulptRunner.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/SkulptRunner/SkulptRunner.jsx
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import classNames from "classnames";
 import {
   setError,
   setErrorDetails,
+  setErrorLine,
+  setErrorLineNumber,
   codeRunHandled,
   stopDraw,
   setSenseHatEnabled,
@@ -161,6 +163,8 @@ const SkulptRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
       input.removeAttribute("id");
       input.removeAttribute("contentEditable");
       dispatch(setError(t("output.errors.interrupted")));
+      dispatch(setErrorLine(""));
+      dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(null));
       dispatch(codeRunHandled());
     }
   }, [codeRunStopped]);
@@ -329,6 +333,9 @@ const SkulptRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
     let errorDetails = {};
     let errorMessage;
     let explanation;
+    let errorLine = "";
+    let errorLineNumber = null;
+
     if (err.message === t("output.errors.interrupted")) {
       errorMessage = err.message;
       errorDetails = {
@@ -343,6 +350,25 @@ const SkulptRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
       const lineNumber = err.traceback[0].lineno;
       const fileName = err.traceback[0].filename.replace(/^\.\//, "");
 
+      if (lineNumber && fileName) {
+        errorLineNumber = lineNumber;
+        const lastDotIndex = fileName.lastIndexOf(".");
+        const name =
+          lastDotIndex > 0 ? fileName.substring(0, lastDotIndex) : fileName;
+        const extension =
+          lastDotIndex > 0 ? fileName.substring(lastDotIndex + 1) : "";
+        const component = projectCode.find(
+          (item) => item.name === name && item.extension === extension,
+        );
+        if (component && component.content) {
+          const lines = component.content.split("\n");
+          // line numbers are 1-indexed, array is 0-indexed
+          if (lineNumber > 0 && lineNumber <= lines.length) {
+            errorLine = lines[lineNumber - 1];
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
       if (errorType === "ImportError" && window.crossOriginIsolated) {
         const articleLink = `https://help.editor.raspberrypi.org/hc/en-us/articles/30841379339924-What-Python-libraries-are-available-in-the-Code-Editor`;
         const moduleName = errorDescription.replace(/No module named /, "");
@@ -375,6 +401,8 @@ const SkulptRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
 
     dispatch(setError(errorMessage));
     dispatch(setErrorDetails(errorDetails));
+    dispatch(setErrorLine(errorLine));
+    dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(errorLineNumber));
     dispatch(stopDraw());
     if (getInput()) {
       const input = getInput();
@@ -387,6 +415,8 @@ const SkulptRunner = ({ active, outputPanels = ["text", "visual"] }) => {
     // clear previous output
     dispatch(setError(""));
     dispatch(setErrorDetails({}));
+    dispatch(setErrorLine(""));
+    dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(null));
     if (output.current) {
       output.current.innerHTML = "";
     }
diff --git a/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/VisualOutputPane.jsx b/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/VisualOutputPane.jsx
index 86e405b2d..c75e4a2be 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/VisualOutputPane.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Editor/Runners/PythonRunner/VisualOutputPane.jsx
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@ import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useDispatch, useSelector } from "react-redux";
 import Sk from "skulpt";
 import AstroPiModel from "../../../AstroPiModel/AstroPiModel";
-import { codeRunHandled, setError } from "../../../../redux/EditorSlice";
+import {
+  codeRunHandled,
+  setError,
+  setErrorLine,
+  setErrorLineNumber,
+} from "../../../../redux/EditorSlice";
 
 const VisualOutputPane = () => {
   const codeRunTriggered = useSelector(
@@ -68,6 +73,8 @@ const VisualOutputPane = () => {
 
       if (error === "") {
         dispatch(setError(t("output.errors.interrupted")));
+        dispatch(setErrorLine(""));
+        dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(null));
       }
       dispatch(codeRunHandled());
     }
diff --git a/src/components/Modals/ErrorModal.jsx b/src/components/Modals/ErrorModal.jsx
index 9a3918b97..5a299e683 100644
--- a/src/components/Modals/ErrorModal.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Modals/ErrorModal.jsx
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@ import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import PropTypes from "prop-types";
 
 import Button from "../Button/Button";
-import { closeErrorModal, setError } from "../../redux/EditorSlice";
+import {
+  closeErrorModal,
+  setError,
+  setErrorLine,
+  setErrorLineNumber,
+} from "../../redux/EditorSlice";
 import "../../assets/stylesheets/Modal.scss";
 
 const ErrorModal = ({ errorType, additionalOnClose }) => {
@@ -21,6 +26,8 @@ const ErrorModal = ({ errorType, additionalOnClose }) => {
       additionalOnClose();
     }
     dispatch(setError(null));
+    dispatch(setErrorLine(""));
+    dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(null));
   };
 
   return (
diff --git a/src/redux/EditorSlice.js b/src/redux/EditorSlice.js
index c53751b09..920d7dc91 100644
--- a/src/redux/EditorSlice.js
+++ b/src/redux/EditorSlice.js
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ export const loadProjectList = createAsyncThunk(
   },
 );
 
+// Helper function to extract all Python code from components
+const getAllPythonCode = (components) => {
+  if (!components || !Array.isArray(components)) {
+    return "";
+  }
+  return components
+    .filter((component) => component.extension === "py")
+    .map((component) => component.content || "")
+    .join("\n");
+};
+
 export const editorInitialState = {
   project: {},
   cascadeUpdate: false,
@@ -137,6 +148,9 @@ export const editorInitialState = {
   sidebarShowing: true,
   modals: {},
   errorDetails: {},
+  errorLine: "",
+  errorLineNumber: null,
+  code: "",
   runnerBeingLoaded: null | "pyodide" | "skulpt",
 };
 
@@ -199,6 +213,7 @@ export const EditorSlice = createSlice({
         content: action.payload.content || "",
       });
       state.saving = "idle";
+      state.code = getAllPythonCode(state.project.components);
     },
     setPage: (state, action) => {
       state.page = action.payload;
@@ -235,6 +250,7 @@ export const EditorSlice = createSlice({
         state.openFiles[firstPanelIndex].push("main.py");
       }
       state.justLoaded = true;
+      state.code = getAllPythonCode(state.project.components);
     },
     setProjectInstructions: (state, action) => {
       state.project.instructions = action.payload;
@@ -283,6 +299,7 @@ export const EditorSlice = createSlice({
       });
       state.project.components = mapped;
       state.cascadeUpdate = cascadeUpdate;
+      state.code = getAllPythonCode(state.project.components);
     },
     updateProjectName: (state, action) => {
       state.project.name = action.payload;
@@ -303,6 +320,7 @@ export const EditorSlice = createSlice({
         state.openFiles[panelIndex][fileIndex] = `${name}.${extension}`;
       }
       state.saving = "idle";
+      state.code = getAllPythonCode(state.project.components);
     },
     setCascadeUpdate: (state, action) => {
       state.cascadeUpdate = action.payload;
@@ -310,6 +328,12 @@ export const EditorSlice = createSlice({
     setError: (state, action) => {
       state.error = action.payload;
     },
+    setErrorLine: (state, action) => {
+      state.errorLine = action.payload;
+    },
+    setErrorLineNumber: (state, action) => {
+      state.errorLineNumber = action.payload;
+    },
     triggerCodeRun: (state) => {
       state.codeRunTriggered = true;
       state.codeHasBeenRun = true;
@@ -452,6 +476,8 @@ export const {
   setBrowserPreview,
   setCascadeUpdate,
   setError,
+  setErrorLine,
+  setErrorLineNumber,
   setIsSplitView,
   setNameError,
   setHasShownSavePrompt,
diff --git a/src/utils/externalLinkHelper.js b/src/utils/externalLinkHelper.js
index 9730b9574..ac8e23cf6 100644
--- a/src/utils/externalLinkHelper.js
+++ b/src/utils/externalLinkHelper.js
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { useDispatch } from "react-redux";
 
-import { setError, triggerCodeRun } from "../redux/EditorSlice";
+import {
+  setError,
+  setErrorLine,
+  setErrorLineNumber,
+  triggerCodeRun,
+} from "../redux/EditorSlice";
 
 const domain = "https://rpf.io/";
 const host = process.env.PUBLIC_URL || "http://localhost:3011";
@@ -27,6 +32,8 @@ const useExternalLinkState = (showModal) => {
 
   const handleExternalLinkError = () => {
     dispatch(setError("externalLink"));
+    dispatch(setErrorLine(""));
+    dispatch(setErrorLineNumber(null));
     showModal();
   };
 
diff --git a/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
index fdfdb5ca7..5680eb3aa 100644
--- a/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ module.exports = {
     ],
   },
   resolve: {
+    alias: {
+      "@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages": path.resolve(
+        __dirname,
+        "node_modules/@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages/dist/index.browser.js",
+      ),
+    },
     extensions: [".*", ".js", ".jsx", ".css"],
     fallback: {
       stream: require.resolve("stream-browserify"),
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 0167075a7..62622d978 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2963,6 +2963,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@lezer/highlight": ^1.0.0
     "@pmmmwh/react-refresh-webpack-plugin": 0.4.3
     "@raspberrypifoundation/design-system-react": ^2.7.0
+    "@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages": ^0.1.6
     "@react-three/drei": 9.114.3
     "@react-three/fiber": ^8.0.13
     "@react-three/test-renderer": 8.2.1
@@ -3117,6 +3118,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft
 
+"@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages@npm:^0.1.6":
+  version: 0.1.6
+  resolution: "@raspberrypifoundation/python-friendly-error-messages@npm:0.1.6"
+  checksum: 5270aefc908c5c78cc01ab820f45d19ab6d035081b2a5465ba577103486bb4392d1cd42fec04cf3834b9ff5c6af4a1c22c271d691a2f3cf367ba32cbfc01df9f
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@react-spring/animated@npm:~9.6.1":
   version: 9.6.1
   resolution: "@react-spring/animated@npm:9.6.1"