diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e1ce1b8..728c3c9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Types of changes:
 
 ### Fixed
 - Fixed `loads("")` / whitespace-only input raising `AttributeError` instead of `ValidationError`. Empty and whitespace programs now raise `ValidationError` like other parse failures. ([#451](https://github.com/qBraid/pyqasm/pull/451), [#437](https://github.com/qBraid/pyqasm/issues/437))
+- Fixed parse failures producing `ValidationError` with an empty message. ANTLR diagnostics written to stderr are now included in the exception text. ([#452](https://github.com/qBraid/pyqasm/pull/452), [#436](https://github.com/qBraid/pyqasm/issues/436))
 
 ### Dependencies
 
diff --git a/src/pyqasm/entrypoint.py b/src/pyqasm/entrypoint.py
index 7e55ea3..5a4359f 100644
--- a/src/pyqasm/entrypoint.py
+++ b/src/pyqasm/entrypoint.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import contextlib
+import io
 import os
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
@@ -181,10 +183,15 @@ def loads(program: openqasm3.ast.Program | str, **kwargs) -> QasmModule:
         # after include resolution, so an opaque in a vendor include is rewritten too
         program, opaque_gates = rewrite_opaque_declarations(program)
         try:
-            program = openqasm3.parse(program)
+            # openqasm3 writes ANTLR diagnostics to stderr and often raises
+            # QASM3ParsingError with an empty message; capture stderr for callers.
+            stderr_buf = io.StringIO()
+            with contextlib.redirect_stderr(stderr_buf):
+                program = openqasm3.parse(program)
         except (openqasm3.parser.QASM3ParsingError, AttributeError) as err:
             # openqasm3 can raise AttributeError on empty/whitespace-only input
-            raise ValidationError(f"Failed to parse OpenQASM string: {err}") from err
+            detail = str(err).strip() or stderr_buf.getvalue().strip()
+            raise ValidationError(f"Failed to parse OpenQASM string: {detail}") from err
     elif not isinstance(program, openqasm3.ast.Program):
         raise TypeError("Input quantum program must be of type 'str' or 'openqasm3.ast.Program'.")
     elif include_dir is not None:
diff --git a/tests/qasm3/test_entrypoint.py b/tests/qasm3/test_entrypoint.py
index 11d5253..dccca69 100644
--- a/tests/qasm3/test_entrypoint.py
+++ b/tests/qasm3/test_entrypoint.py
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ def test_incorrect_module_loading_file():
 
 def test_incorrect_module_loading_program():
     with pytest.raises(
-        TypeError, match="Input quantum program must be of type 'str' or 'openqasm3.ast.Program'."
+        TypeError,
+        match="Input quantum program must be of type 'str' or 'openqasm3.ast.Program'.",
     ):
         loads(1)
 
@@ -70,6 +71,18 @@ def test_incorrect_qasm_version():
         loads("OPENQASM 4.0;\n qubit q;")
 
 
+def test_loads_parse_error_includes_antlr_diagnostic():
+    """Parse failures should surface the ANTLR diagnostic in ValidationError."""
+    bad = "OPENQASM 3.0;\nqubit q;\nrx(pi / 2 q;\n"
+    with pytest.raises(ValidationError, match=r"no viable alternative|Failed to parse") as exc_info:
+        loads(bad)
+    msg = str(exc_info.value)
+    assert "Failed to parse OpenQASM string:" in msg
+    # must not be an empty reason after the colon
+    assert msg.rstrip() != "Failed to parse OpenQASM string:"
+    assert len(msg.split(":", 1)[-1].strip()) > 0
+
+
 def test_incorrect_module_unroll_raises_error():
     with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
         module = loads("OPENQASM 3.0;\n qubit q; h q[2]")