diff --git a/src/rest/errors.ts b/src/rest/errors.ts
index 5d9695e..c6363b7 100644
--- a/src/rest/errors.ts
+++ b/src/rest/errors.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class CoinbaseError extends Error {
 
 export function handleException(
   response: Response,
-  responseText: string,
+  responseJson: object,
   reason: string
 ) {
   let message: string | undefined;
@@ -23,10 +23,17 @@ export function handleException(
     (400 <= response.status && response.status <= 499) ||
     (500 <= response.status && response.status <= 599)
   ) {
-    if (
-      response.status == 403 &&
-      responseText.includes('"error_details":"Missing required scopes"')
-    ) {
+    let missingRequiredScopes = false;
+    const responseText = JSON.stringify(responseJson, (key, value) => {
+      if (
+        key === 'error_details' &&
+        typeof value === 'string' &&
+        value.includes('Missing required scopes')
+      ) {
+        missingRequiredScopes = true;
+      }
+    });
+    if (response.status == 403 && missingRequiredScopes) {
       message = `${response.status} Coinbase Error: Missing Required Scopes. Please verify your API keys include the necessary permissions.`;
     } else
       message = `${response.status} Coinbase Error: ${reason} ${responseText}`;
diff --git a/src/rest/rest-base.ts b/src/rest/rest-base.ts
index 9084df5..15ce312 100644
--- a/src/rest/rest-base.ts
+++ b/src/rest/rest-base.ts
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ export class RESTBase {
     url: string
   ) {
     const response: Response = await fetch(url, requestOptions);
-    const responseText = await response.text();
-    handleException(response, responseText, response.statusText);
+    const responseJson = await response.json();
+    handleException(response, responseJson, response.statusText);
 
-    return responseText;
+    return responseJson;
   }
 
   setHeaders(httpMethod: string, urlPath: string, isPublic?: boolean) {