diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtils.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtils.java
index ae935308..0dfee18c 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtils.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtils.java
@@ -164,4 +164,23 @@ public class ExceptionUtils
 
       return (StringUtils.join("; ", messages));
    }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    ** Get the messages from the top & bottoms (root) of an exception.
+    **
+    ** If there's no root, just return the top (e.g., parameter)'s message.
+    ** If they are both found, put ": " between them.
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   public static String getTopAndBottomMessages(Exception e)
+   {
+      String    rs            = e.getMessage();
+      Throwable rootException = getRootException(e);
+      if(rootException != e)
+      {
+         rs += ": " + rootException.getMessage();
+      }
+      return (rs);
+   }
 }
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtilsTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtilsTest.java
index 4b68f28b..bf84bb16 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtilsTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/ExceptionUtilsTest.java
@@ -116,6 +116,19 @@ class ExceptionUtilsTest extends BaseTest
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Test
+   void testGetTopAndBottomMessages()
+   {
+      assertEquals("foo", ExceptionUtils.getTopAndBottomMessages(new Exception("foo")));
+      assertEquals("foo: bar", ExceptionUtils.getTopAndBottomMessages(new Exception("foo", new Exception("bar"))));
+      assertEquals("foo: baz", ExceptionUtils.getTopAndBottomMessages(new Exception("foo", new Exception("bar", new Exception("baz")))));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     ** Test exception class - lets you set the cause, easier to create a loop.
     *******************************************************************************/