diff --git a/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader.ts b/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader.ts
index a66cae4359..f5c1393b3a 100644
--- a/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader.ts
+++ b/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import Model from '../models/Model';
 import { XKnex } from '../db/sql-data-mapper/index';
 import NcConnectionMgrv2 from '../utils/common/NcConnectionMgrv2';
 import { BaseType, UITypes } from 'nocodb-sdk';
+import { throwTimeoutError } from './ncUpgradeErrors';
 
 // before 0.103.0, an attachment object was like
 // [{
@@ -68,6 +69,12 @@ export default async function ({ ncMeta }: NcUpgraderCtx) {
       : NcConnectionMgrv2.get(base);
     const models = await base.getModels(ncMeta);
 
+    // used in timeout error message
+    const timeoutErrorInfo = {
+      projectTitle: project.title,
+      connection: knex.client.config.connection,
+    };
+
     for (const model of models) {
       try {
         // if the table is missing in database, skip
@@ -170,6 +177,9 @@ export default async function ({ ncMeta }: NcUpgraderCtx) {
       } catch (e) {
         // ignore the error related to deleted project
         if (!isProjectDeleted) {
+          // throw the custom timeout error message if applicable
+          throwTimeoutError(e, timeoutErrorInfo);
+          // throw general error
           throw e;
         }
       }
diff --git a/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader_0104002.ts b/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader_0104002.ts
index 3531b296c9..cb47f72122 100644
--- a/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader_0104002.ts
+++ b/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncAttachmentUpgrader_0104002.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import Model from '../models/Model';
 import { XKnex } from '../db/sql-data-mapper/index';
 import NcConnectionMgrv2 from '../utils/common/NcConnectionMgrv2';
 import { BaseType, UITypes } from 'nocodb-sdk';
+import { throwTimeoutError } from './ncUpgradeErrors';
 
 // after 0101002 upgrader, the attachment object would become broken when
 // (1) switching views after updating a singleSelect field
@@ -60,6 +61,12 @@ export default async function ({ ncMeta }: NcUpgraderCtx) {
       : NcConnectionMgrv2.get(base);
     const models = await base.getModels(ncMeta);
 
+    // used in timeout error message
+    const timeoutErrorInfo = {
+      projectTitle: project.title,
+      connection: knex.client.config.connection,
+    };
+
     for (const model of models) {
       try {
         // if the table is missing in database, skip
@@ -151,6 +158,9 @@ export default async function ({ ncMeta }: NcUpgraderCtx) {
       } catch (e) {
         // ignore the error related to deleted project
         if (!isProjectDeleted) {
+          // throw the custom timeout error message if applicable
+          throwTimeoutError(e, timeoutErrorInfo);
+          // throw general error
           throw e;
         }
       }
diff --git a/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncUpgradeErrors.ts b/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncUpgradeErrors.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3b9b7330ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/nocodb/src/lib/version-upgrader/ncUpgradeErrors.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+export function throwTimeoutError(e, timeoutErrorInfo) {
+  if (
+    [
+      'EHOSTDOWN',
+      'ETIMEDOUT',
+      'EHOSTUNREACH',
+      'ENOTFOUND',
+      'ECONNREFUSED',
+    ].includes(e.code)
+  ) {
+    let db = '';
+    if (timeoutErrorInfo.connection.filename) {
+      // for sqlite
+      db = timeoutErrorInfo.connection.filename;
+    } else if (
+      timeoutErrorInfo.connection.database &&
+      timeoutErrorInfo.connection.host &&
+      timeoutErrorInfo.connection.port
+    ) {
+      db = `${timeoutErrorInfo.connection.database} (${timeoutErrorInfo.connection.host}:${timeoutErrorInfo.connection.port})`;
+    }
+    throw new Error(
+      `Failed to connect the database ${db} for Project ${timeoutErrorInfo.projectTitle}.
+       Please fix the connection issue or remove the project before trying to upgrade.`
+    );
+  }
+}