diff --git a/esrally/driver/runner.py b/esrally/driver/runner.py
index 6f51c94a4..d5376bab7 100644
--- a/esrally/driver/runner.py
+++ b/esrally/driver/runner.py
@@ -693,7 +693,16 @@ async def __call__(self, es, params):
                 pass
             while not complete:
                 await asyncio.sleep(params.get("poll-period"))
-                tasks = await es.tasks.list(params={"actions": "indices:admin/forcemerge"})
+
+                try:
+                    tasks = await es.tasks.list(params={"actions": "indices:admin/forcemerge"})
+                except elasticsearch.ApiError as e:
+                    self.logger.exception("Received API error when fetching force-merge task list: [%s: %s]", e.message, e.status_code)
+                    raise e
+                except elasticsearch.exceptions.TransportError as e:
+                    self.logger.exception("Received transport error when fetching force-merge task list: [%s]", e)
+                    raise e
+
                 if len(tasks["nodes"]) == 0:
                     # empty nodes response indicates no tasks
                     complete = True
diff --git a/tests/driver/runner_test.py b/tests/driver/runner_test.py
index 61abe0dc2..7d43f707d 100644
--- a/tests/driver/runner_test.py
+++ b/tests/driver/runner_test.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import elastic_transport
 import elasticsearch
 import pytest
+from elastic_transport import ApiResponseMeta
 
 from esrally import client, config, exceptions
 from esrally.client.asynchronous import RallyAsyncElasticsearch
@@ -1534,6 +1535,35 @@ async def test_force_merge_with_polling_and_params(self, es):
         )
         es.indices.forcemerge.assert_awaited_once_with(index="_all", max_num_segments=1, request_timeout=50000)
 
+    @mock.patch("elasticsearch.Elasticsearch")
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_force_merge_with_polling_api_error(self, es, caplog):
+        es.indices.forcemerge = mock.AsyncMock(side_effect=elasticsearch.ConnectionTimeout(message="connection timeout"))
+        es.tasks.list = mock.AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=elasticsearch.ApiError(
+                "ApiError", ApiResponseMeta(status=400, http_version="1.1", headers={}, duration=0.0, node=None), None
+            )
+        )
+        force_merge = runner.ForceMerge()
+
+        with pytest.raises(elasticsearch.ApiError) as exc:
+            await force_merge(es, params={"index": "_all", "mode": "polling", "poll-period": 0})
+        assert exc.value.args[0] == "ApiError"
+        assert exc.value.status_code == 400
+        assert f"Received API error when fetching force-merge task list: [{exc.value.args[0]}: {exc.value.status_code}]" in caplog.text
+
+    @mock.patch("elasticsearch.Elasticsearch")
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_force_merge_with_polling_transport_error(self, es, caplog):
+        es.indices.forcemerge = mock.AsyncMock(side_effect=elasticsearch.ConnectionTimeout(message="connection timeout"))
+        es.tasks.list = mock.AsyncMock(side_effect=elasticsearch.exceptions.TransportError("TransportError"))
+        force_merge = runner.ForceMerge()
+
+        with pytest.raises(elasticsearch.exceptions.TransportError) as exc:
+            await force_merge(es, params={"index": "_all", "mode": "polling", "poll-period": 0})
+        assert exc.value.message == "TransportError"
+        assert f"Received transport error when fetching force-merge task list: [{exc.value.message}]" in caplog.text
+
 
 class TestIndicesStatsRunner:
     @mock.patch("elasticsearch.Elasticsearch")