diff --git a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.3.rst b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.3.rst
index 007eb8d34b..b428e103c3 100644
--- a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.3.rst
+++ b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.10.3.rst
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ Enhancements
 
 Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~
+* Fixed CAMS error message handler in
+  :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.get_cams` (:issue:`1799`, :pull:`1905`)
 * Fix mapping of the dew point column to ``temp_dew`` when ``map_variables``
   is True in :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.get_psm3`. (:pull:`1920`)
 
@@ -40,7 +42,8 @@ Contributors
 * Miguel Sánchez de León Peque (:ghuser:`Peque`)
 * Will Hobbs (:ghuser:`williamhobbs`)
 * Anton Driesse (:ghuser:`adriesse`)
+* Gilles Fischer (:ghuser:`GillesFischerV`)
+* Adam R. Jensen (:ghusuer:`AdamRJensen`)
 * :ghuser:`matsuobasho`
 * Harry Jack (:ghuser:`harry-solcast`)
-* Adam R. Jensen (:ghuser:`AdamRJensen`)
 * Kevin Anderson (:ghuser:`kandersolar`)
diff --git a/pvlib/iotools/sodapro.py b/pvlib/iotools/sodapro.py
index 95d6ffd866..a5c0c351c8 100644
--- a/pvlib/iotools/sodapro.py
+++ b/pvlib/iotools/sodapro.py
@@ -57,8 +57,10 @@ def get_cams(latitude, longitude, start, end, email, identifier='mcclear',
     Access: free, but requires registration, see [2]_
 
     Requests: max. 100 per day
+
     Geographical coverage: worldwide for CAMS McClear and approximately -66° to
-    66° in both latitude and longitude for CAMS Radiation.
+    66° in latitude and -66° to 180° in longitude for CAMS Radiation. See [3]_
+    for a map of the geographical coverage.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
@@ -157,6 +159,9 @@ def get_cams(latitude, longitude, start, end, email, identifier='mcclear',
        <https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/solar-radiation>`_
     .. [2] `CAMS Radiation Automatic Access (SoDa)
        <https://www.soda-pro.com/help/cams-services/cams-radiation-service/automatic-access>`_
+    .. [3] A. R. Jensen et al., pvlib iotools — Open-source Python functions
+       for seamless access to solar irradiance data. Solar Energy. 2023. Vol
+       266, pp. 112092. :doi:`10.1016/j.solener.2023.112092`
     """
     try:
         time_step_str = TIME_STEPS_MAP[time_step]
@@ -215,14 +220,16 @@ def get_cams(latitude, longitude, start, end, email, identifier='mcclear',
     res = requests.get(base_url + '?DataInputs=' + data_inputs, params=params,
                        timeout=timeout)
 
-    # Invalid requests returns an XML error message and the HTTP staus code 200
-    # as if the request was successful. Therefore, errors cannot be handled
-    # automatic (e.g. res.raise_for_status()) and errors are handled manually
-    if res.headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/xml':
+    # Response from CAMS follows the status and reason format of PyWPS4
+    # If an error occurs on server side, it will return error 400 - bad request
+    # Additional information is available in the response text, so it is added
+    # to the error displayed to facilitate users effort to fix their request
+    if not res.ok:
         errors = res.text.split('ows:ExceptionText')[1][1:-2]
-        raise requests.HTTPError(errors, response=res)
+        res.reason = "%s: <%s>" % (res.reason, errors)
+        res.raise_for_status()
     # Successful requests returns a csv data file
-    elif res.headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/csv':
+    else:
         fbuf = io.StringIO(res.content.decode('utf-8'))
         data, metadata = parse_cams(fbuf, integrated=integrated, label=label,
                                     map_variables=map_variables)
diff --git a/pvlib/tests/iotools/test_sodapro.py b/pvlib/tests/iotools/test_sodapro.py
index ff17691a98..4729cf2c64 100644
--- a/pvlib/tests/iotools/test_sodapro.py
+++ b/pvlib/tests/iotools/test_sodapro.py
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def test_get_cams_bad_request(requests_mock):
     requests inputs. Also tests if the specified server url gets used"""
 
     # Subset of an xml file returned for errornous requests
-    mock_response_bad = """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+    mock_response_bad_text = """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
     <ows:Exception exceptionCode="NoApplicableCode" locator="None">
     <ows:ExceptionText>Failed to execute WPS process [get_mcclear]:
         Please, register yourself at www.soda-pro.com
@@ -256,12 +256,13 @@ def test_get_cams_bad_request(requests_mock):
 
     url_cams_bad_request = 'https://pro.soda-is.com/service/wps?DataInputs=latitude=55.7906;longitude=12.5251;altitude=-999;date_begin=2020-01-01;date_end=2020-05-04;time_ref=TST;summarization=PT01H;username=test%2540test.com;verbose=false&Service=WPS&Request=Execute&Identifier=get_mcclear&version=1.0.0&RawDataOutput=irradiation'  # noqa: E501
 
-    requests_mock.get(url_cams_bad_request, text=mock_response_bad,
-                      headers={'Content-Type': 'application/xml'})
+    requests_mock.get(url_cams_bad_request, status_code=400,
+                      text=mock_response_bad_text)
 
     # Test if HTTPError is raised if incorrect input is specified
     # In the below example a non-registrered email is specified
-    with pytest.raises(requests.HTTPError, match='Failed to execute WPS'):
+    with pytest.raises(requests.exceptions.HTTPError,
+                       match='Failed to execute WPS process'):
         _ = sodapro.get_cams(
             start=pd.Timestamp('2020-01-01'),
             end=pd.Timestamp('2020-05-04'),