diff --git a/kyuubi-common/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLException.scala b/kyuubi-common/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLException.scala
index f1eea4eaf..7739d3be8 100644
--- a/kyuubi-common/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLException.scala
+++ b/kyuubi-common/src/main/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLException.scala
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 package org.apache.kyuubi
 
 import java.io.{PrintWriter, StringWriter}
+import java.lang.reflect.{InvocationTargetException, UndeclaredThrowableException}
 import java.sql.SQLException
 
+import scala.annotation.tailrec
 import scala.collection.JavaConverters._
 
 import org.apache.hive.service.rpc.thrift.{TStatus, TStatusCode}
@@ -46,10 +48,11 @@ object KyuubiSQLException {
   private final val SEPARATOR: Char = ':'
 
   def apply(msg: String, throwable: Throwable): KyuubiSQLException = {
-    new KyuubiSQLException(msg, throwable)
+    new KyuubiSQLException(msg, findCause(throwable))
   }
   def apply(cause: Throwable): KyuubiSQLException = {
-    new KyuubiSQLException(cause.getMessage, cause)
+    val theCause = findCause(cause)
+    new KyuubiSQLException(theCause.getMessage, theCause)
   }
 
   def apply(msg: String): KyuubiSQLException = new KyuubiSQLException(msg, null)
@@ -157,4 +160,10 @@ object KyuubiSQLException {
     stm.toString
   }
 
+  @tailrec
+  def findCause(t: Throwable): Throwable = t match {
+    case e @ (_: UndeclaredThrowableException | _: InvocationTargetException)
+      if e.getCause != null => findCause(e.getCause)
+    case e => e
+  }
 }
diff --git a/kyuubi-common/src/test/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLExceptionSuite.scala b/kyuubi-common/src/test/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLExceptionSuite.scala
index 658a55fe9..76964180e 100644
--- a/kyuubi-common/src/test/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLExceptionSuite.scala
+++ b/kyuubi-common/src/test/scala/org/apache/kyuubi/KyuubiSQLExceptionSuite.scala
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 package org.apache.kyuubi
 
+import java.lang.reflect.{InvocationTargetException, UndeclaredThrowableException}
+
 import org.apache.hive.service.rpc.thrift.TStatusCode
 
 class KyuubiSQLExceptionSuite extends KyuubiFunSuite {
@@ -50,4 +52,18 @@ class KyuubiSQLExceptionSuite extends KyuubiFunSuite {
     assert(e5.getMessage === msg0)
     assert(e5.getCause === e0)
   }
+
+  test("find the root cause") {
+    val theCause = new RuntimeException("this is just a dummy message but shall be seen")
+    val ite1 = new InvocationTargetException(theCause)
+    val ute1 = new UndeclaredThrowableException(ite1)
+    val ute2 = new UndeclaredThrowableException(ute1)
+    val ite2 = new InvocationTargetException(ute2)
+    val ke = KyuubiSQLException(ite2)
+    assert(ke.getMessage == theCause.getMessage)
+    assert(ke.getCause == theCause)
+
+    val cornerCase = new InvocationTargetException(null)
+    assert(KyuubiSQLException(cornerCase).getCause === cornerCase)
+  }
 }