diff --git a/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/node_state_manager.go b/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/node_state_manager.go
index 871fecd36a..bf4d270a22 100644
--- a/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/node_state_manager.go
+++ b/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/node_state_manager.go
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ func (n nodeStateManager) GetWorkflowNodeState() handler.WorkflowNodeState {
 	ws := handler.WorkflowNodeState{}
 	if wn != nil {
 		ws.Phase = wn.GetWorkflowNodePhase()
+		ws.Error = wn.GetExecutionError()
 	}
 	return ws
 }
diff --git a/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/subworkflow/subworkflow.go b/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/subworkflow/subworkflow.go
index 3e688e60dd..24d74473f0 100644
--- a/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/subworkflow/subworkflow.go
+++ b/flytepropeller/pkg/controller/nodes/subworkflow/subworkflow.go
@@ -83,11 +83,12 @@ func (s *subworkflowHandler) handleSubWorkflow(ctx context.Context, nCtx handler
 		}
 
 		err = nCtx.NodeStateWriter().PutWorkflowNodeState(workflowNodeState)
-		if subworkflow.GetOnFailureNode() != nil {
-			return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral, handler.PhaseInfoFailingErr(state.Err, nil)), err
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Warnf(ctx, "failed to store failing subworkflow state with err: [%v]", err)
+			return handler.UnknownTransition, err
 		}
 
-		return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral, handler.PhaseInfoFailureErr(state.Err, nil)), err
+		return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral, handler.PhaseInfoRunning(nil)), nil
 	}
 
 	if state.IsComplete() {
@@ -190,14 +191,24 @@ func (s *subworkflowHandler) HandleFailingSubWorkflow(ctx context.Context, nCtx
 		return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral, handler.PhaseInfoFailure(core.ExecutionError_SYSTEM, errors.SubWorkflowExecutionFailed, err.Error(), nil)), nil
 	}
 
-	status := nCtx.NodeStatus()
-	status.GetWorkflowNodeStatus()
+	if err := s.HandleAbort(ctx, nCtx, "subworkflow failed"); err != nil {
+		logger.Warnf(ctx, "failed to abort failing subworkflow with err: [%v]", err)
+		return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral, handler.PhaseInfoUndefined), err
+	}
+
 	if subWorkflow.GetOnFailureNode() == nil {
 		logger.Infof(ctx, "Subworkflow has no failure nodes, failing immediately.")
+		state := nCtx.NodeStateReader().GetWorkflowNodeState()
+		if state.Error != nil {
+			return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral,
+				handler.PhaseInfoFailureErr(state.Error, nil)), nil
+		}
+
 		return handler.DoTransition(handler.TransitionTypeEphemeral,
-			handler.PhaseInfoFailureErr(nCtx.NodeStateReader().GetWorkflowNodeState().Error, nil)), err
+			handler.PhaseInfoFailure(core.ExecutionError_UNKNOWN, "SubworkflowNodeFailing", "", nil)), nil
 	}
 
+	status := nCtx.NodeStatus()
 	nodeLookup := executors.NewNodeLookup(subWorkflow, status)
 	return s.HandleFailureNodeOfSubWorkflow(ctx, nCtx, subWorkflow, nodeLookup)
 }