diff --git a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/cbe-bill/cbe-bill.service.ts b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/cbe-bill/cbe-bill.service.ts
index 9389280c5..1e4c70d17 100644
--- a/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/cbe-bill/cbe-bill.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-payment-api/src/modules/cbe-bill/cbe-bill.service.ts
@@ -191,13 +191,12 @@ export class CbeBillService {
         return mapPaymentFailure(dto, "Payment is being processed.");
       }
       if (prior.failureClass === "BUSINESS") {
-        // Final — retrying cannot change the answer. Replay what we told CBE last time.
-        return (
-          (prior.responsePayload as unknown as CbePaymentResponseDto) ??
-          mapPaymentFailure(
-            dto,
-            prior.responseDescription ?? "Payment already failed.",
-          )
+        // Final — retrying cannot change the answer. Same End_To_End_Txn_Id was already
+        // resolved (possibly against a different Bill_Id/amount); say so instead of
+        // echoing the original reason, which no longer describes this request.
+        return mapPaymentFailure(
+          dto,
+          `End_To_End_Txn_Id ${dto.End_To_End_Txn_Id} was already processed and failed: ${prior.responseDescription ?? "unknown reason"}.`,
         );
       }
       // FAILED + TRANSIENT: allowed retry — fall through and re-run the settlement.