diff --git a/.changeset/dirty-radios-kiss.md b/.changeset/dirty-radios-kiss.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6eb69437cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/dirty-radios-kiss.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@medusajs/core-flows": patch
+---
+
+fix(core-flows): payment error handling
diff --git a/integration-tests/modules/__tests__/cart/store/carts.spec.ts b/integration-tests/modules/__tests__/cart/store/carts.spec.ts
index 110dfbc568..54a038e20c 100644
--- a/integration-tests/modules/__tests__/cart/store/carts.spec.ts
+++ b/integration-tests/modules/__tests__/cart/store/carts.spec.ts
@@ -2168,8 +2168,8 @@ medusaIntegrationTestRunner({
           authorizePaymentSessionSpy.mockImplementation(
             (id, context, sharedContext) => {
               throw new MedusaError(
-                MedusaError.Types.INVALID_DATA,
-                `Throw a random error`
+                MedusaError.Types.PAYMENT_AUTHORIZATION_ERROR,
+                `Payment authorization failed`
               )
             }
           )
diff --git a/packages/core/core-flows/src/payment/steps/authorize-payment-session.ts b/packages/core/core-flows/src/payment/steps/authorize-payment-session.ts
index fc69ba04c8..80f9dcf37d 100644
--- a/packages/core/core-flows/src/payment/steps/authorize-payment-session.ts
+++ b/packages/core/core-flows/src/payment/steps/authorize-payment-session.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ export const authorizePaymentSessionStep = createStep(
       logger.error(
         `Error was thrown trying to authorize payment session - ${input.id} - ${e}`
       )
+      // this implies the error is already a MedusaError, so we can throw it safely,
+      if (MedusaError.isMedusaError(e)) {
+        throw e
+      }
+      
     }
 
     const paymentSession = await paymentModule.retrievePaymentSession(