diff --git a/models/admin/task.go b/models/admin/task.go
index 0541a8ec78..5d2b9bbff6 100644
--- a/models/admin/task.go
+++ b/models/admin/task.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	repo_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/json"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/migration"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/secret"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
@@ -123,17 +124,17 @@ func (task *Task) MigrateConfig() (*migration.MigrateOptions, error) {
 		// decrypt credentials
 		if opts.CloneAddrEncrypted != "" {
 			if opts.CloneAddr, err = secret.DecryptSecret(setting.SecretKey, opts.CloneAddrEncrypted); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				log.Error("Unable to decrypt CloneAddr, maybe SECRET_KEY is wrong: %v", err)
 			}
 		}
 		if opts.AuthPasswordEncrypted != "" {
 			if opts.AuthPassword, err = secret.DecryptSecret(setting.SecretKey, opts.AuthPasswordEncrypted); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				log.Error("Unable to decrypt AuthPassword, maybe SECRET_KEY is wrong: %v", err)
 			}
 		}
 		if opts.AuthTokenEncrypted != "" {
 			if opts.AuthToken, err = secret.DecryptSecret(setting.SecretKey, opts.AuthTokenEncrypted); err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				log.Error("Unable to decrypt AuthToken, maybe SECRET_KEY is wrong: %v", err)
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/models/auth/twofactor.go b/models/auth/twofactor.go
index 200ce7c7c0..4263495650 100644
--- a/models/auth/twofactor.go
+++ b/models/auth/twofactor.go
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ func (t *TwoFactor) SetSecret(secretString string) error {
 func (t *TwoFactor) ValidateTOTP(passcode string) (bool, error) {
 	decodedStoredSecret, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(t.Secret)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("ValidateTOTP invalid base64: %w", err)
 	}
 	secretBytes, err := secret.AesDecrypt(t.getEncryptionKey(), decodedStoredSecret)
 	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("ValidateTOTP unable to decrypt (maybe SECRET_KEY is wrong): %w", err)
 	}
 	secretStr := string(secretBytes)
 	return totp.Validate(passcode, secretStr), nil
diff --git a/models/secret/secret.go b/models/secret/secret.go
index 10a0287dfd..a82a924c39 100644
--- a/models/secret/secret.go
+++ b/models/secret/secret.go
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ func GetSecretsOfTask(ctx context.Context, task *actions_model.ActionTask) (map[
 	for _, secret := range append(ownerSecrets, repoSecrets...) {
 		v, err := secret_module.DecryptSecret(setting.SecretKey, secret.Data)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Error("decrypt secret %v %q: %v", secret.ID, secret.Name, err)
-			return nil, err
+			log.Error("Unable to decrypt Actions secret %v %q, maybe SECRET_KEY is wrong: %v", secret.ID, secret.Name, err)
+			continue
 		}
 		secrets[secret.Name] = v
 	}
diff --git a/services/auth/source/ldap/source.go b/services/auth/source/ldap/source.go
index d49dbc45ce..2362cad8aa 100644
--- a/services/auth/source/ldap/source.go
+++ b/services/auth/source/ldap/source.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/auth"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/json"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/secret"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
 )
@@ -66,9 +67,12 @@ func (source *Source) FromDB(bs []byte) error {
 	}
 	if source.BindPasswordEncrypt != "" {
 		source.BindPassword, err = secret.DecryptSecret(setting.SecretKey, source.BindPasswordEncrypt)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("Unable to decrypt bind password for LDAP source, maybe SECRET_KEY is wrong: %v", err)
+		}
 		source.BindPasswordEncrypt = ""
 	}
-	return err
+	return nil
 }
 
 // ToDB exports a LDAPConfig to a serialized format.