diff --git a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/OSSettings/cards/CustomSettings/components/ProfileUploader/helpers.tsx b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/OSSettings/cards/CustomSettings/components/ProfileUploader/helpers.tsx
index f33d5fc08f10..4a3defbf1cf7 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/OSSettings/cards/CustomSettings/components/ProfileUploader/helpers.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/OSSettings/cards/CustomSettings/components/ProfileUploader/helpers.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React from "react";
 import { AxiosResponse } from "axios";
 import { IApiError } from "interfaces/errors";
+import { generateSecretErrMsg } from "pages/SoftwarePage/helpers";
 
 export const parseFile = async (file: File): Promise<[string, string]> => {
   // get the file name and extension
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ export const getErrorMessage = (err: AxiosResponse<IApiError>) => {
   }
 
   if (apiReason.includes("Secret variable")) {
-    return apiReason.replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist");
+    return generateSecretErrMsg(err);
   }
 
   return apiReason || DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE;
diff --git a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/Scripts/components/ScriptUploader/helpers.ts b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/Scripts/components/ScriptUploader/helpers.ts
index f341ec38b953..016efb8b6e08 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/Scripts/components/ScriptUploader/helpers.ts
+++ b/frontend/pages/ManageControlsPage/Scripts/components/ScriptUploader/helpers.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { getErrorReason } from "interfaces/errors";
+import { generateSecretErrMsg } from "pages/SoftwarePage/helpers";
 
 const DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE = "Couldn't upload. Please try again.";
 
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ export const getErrorMessage = (err: unknown) => {
   ) {
     return "Couldn't upload. The file should be .sh or .ps1 file.";
   } else if (apiErrMessage.includes("Secret variable")) {
-    return apiErrMessage.replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist");
+    return generateSecretErrMsg(err);
   }
 
   return apiErrMessage || DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE;
diff --git a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareCustomPackage/helpers.tsx b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareCustomPackage/helpers.tsx
index 99a09e229bcc..06e3c2e23fdc 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareCustomPackage/helpers.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareCustomPackage/helpers.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import { LEARN_MORE_ABOUT_BASE_LINK } from "utilities/constants";
 
 import CustomLink from "components/CustomLink";
 
+import { generateSecretErrMsg } from "pages/SoftwarePage/helpers";
+
 const DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE = "Couldn't add. Please try again.";
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/prefer-default-export
@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ export const getErrorMessage = (err: unknown) => {
       </>
     );
   } else if (reason.includes("Secret variable")) {
-    return reason.replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist");
+    return generateSecretErrMsg(err);
   } else if (reason.includes("Unable to extract necessary metadata")) {
     return (
       <>
diff --git a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage.tsx b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage.tsx
index d47ccd9ef045..8516ff248378 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import labelsAPI, { getCustomLabels } from "services/entities/labels";
 import { QueryContext } from "context/query";
 import { AppContext } from "context/app";
 import { NotificationContext } from "context/notification";
-import { getErrorReason } from "interfaces/errors";
 import { Platform, PLATFORM_DISPLAY_NAMES } from "interfaces/platform";
 import { ILabelSummary } from "interfaces/label";
 import useToggleSidePanel from "hooks/useToggleSidePanel";
@@ -33,6 +32,7 @@ import { IFleetMaintainedAppFormData } from "./FleetAppDetailsForm/FleetAppDetai
 import AddFleetAppSoftwareModal from "./AddFleetAppSoftwareModal";
 
 import {
+  getErrorMessage,
   getFleetAppPolicyDescription,
   getFleetAppPolicyName,
   getFleetAppPolicyQuery,
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ const FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage = ({
     } catch (error) {
       // quick exit if there was an error adding the software. Skip the policy
       // creation.
-      renderFlash("error", getErrorReason(error));
+      renderFlash("error", getErrorMessage(error));
       setShowAddFleetAppSoftwareModal(false);
       return;
     }
diff --git a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/helpers.tsx b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/helpers.tsx
index 3ccdf8df4c3c..3a1f93411e6d 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/helpers.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareAddPage/SoftwareFleetMaintained/FleetMaintainedAppDetailsPage/helpers.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+import { getErrorReason } from "interfaces/errors";
+
+import { generateSecretErrMsg } from "pages/SoftwarePage/helpers";
+
 import fleetAppData from "../../../../../../server/mdm/maintainedapps/apps.json";
 
 const NameToIdentifierMap: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -40,3 +44,13 @@ export const getFleetAppPolicyDescription = (appName: string) => {
 export const getFleetAppPolicyQuery = (name: string) => {
   return getFleetAppData(name)?.automatic_policy_query;
 };
+
+export const getErrorMessage = (err: unknown) => {
+  const reason = getErrorReason(err);
+
+  if (reason.includes("Secret variable")) {
+    return generateSecretErrMsg(err);
+  }
+
+  return reason;
+};
diff --git a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareTitleDetailsPage/EditSoftwareModal/helpers.tsx b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareTitleDetailsPage/EditSoftwareModal/helpers.tsx
index 9b4151003cfe..df399a8c5c34 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareTitleDetailsPage/EditSoftwareModal/helpers.tsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/SoftwareTitleDetailsPage/EditSoftwareModal/helpers.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { ISoftwarePackage } from "interfaces/software";
 
 import CustomLink from "components/CustomLink";
 import { LEARN_MORE_ABOUT_BASE_LINK } from "utilities/constants";
+import { generateSecretErrMsg } from "pages/SoftwarePage/helpers";
 
 const DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE = "Couldn't edit software. Please try again.";
 
@@ -36,9 +37,7 @@ export const getErrorMessage = (err: unknown, software: ISoftwarePackage) => {
       </>
     );
   } else if (reason.includes("Secret variable")) {
-    return reason
-      .replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist")
-      .replace("Couldn't add", "Couldn't edit");
+    return generateSecretErrMsg(err).replace("Couldn't add", "Couldn't edit");
   }
 
   return reason || DEFAULT_ERROR_MESSAGE;
diff --git a/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/helpers.ts b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/helpers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..48901f0efc52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/pages/SoftwarePage/helpers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { getErrorReason } from "interfaces/errors";
+
+/**
+ * helper function to generate error message for secret variables based
+ * on the error reason.
+ */
+// eslint-disable-next-line import/prefer-default-export
+export const generateSecretErrMsg = (err: unknown) => {
+  const reason = getErrorReason(err);
+
+  let errorType = "";
+  if (getErrorReason(err, { nameEquals: "install script" })) {
+    errorType = "install script";
+  } else if (getErrorReason(err, { nameEquals: "post-install script" })) {
+    errorType = "post-install script";
+  } else if (getErrorReason(err, { nameEquals: "uninstall script" })) {
+    errorType = "uninstall script";
+  } else if (getErrorReason(err, { nameEquals: "profile" })) {
+    errorType = "profile";
+  }
+
+  if (errorType === "profile") {
+    return reason
+      .split(":")[1]
+      .replace(/Secret variables?/i, "Variable")
+      .replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist.");
+  }
+
+  // all other specific error types
+  if (errorType) {
+    return reason
+      .replace(/Secret variables?/i, `Variable used in ${errorType} `)
+      .replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist.");
+  }
+
+  // no spcial error type. return generic secret error message
+  return reason
+    .replace(/Secret variables?/i, "Variable")
+    .replace("missing from database", "doesn't exist.");
+};