diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/uploads_actions.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/uploads_actions.rb
index 434459a225a..bb8c245a5b7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/uploads_actions.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/uploads_actions.rb
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ module UploadsActions
       maximum_size: Gitlab::CurrentSettings.max_attachment_size.megabytes.to_i)
 
     render json: authorized
+  rescue SocketError
+    render json: "Error uploading file", status: :internal_server_error
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/ccr-6699_image_for_object_error.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/ccr-6699_image_for_object_error.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dec1adaceff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/ccr-6699_image_for_object_error.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+title: Handles exception during file upload - replaces the stack trace with a small
+  error message.
+merge_request: 21528
+author:
+type: fixed
diff --git a/spec/controllers/projects/uploads_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/projects/uploads_controller_spec.rb
index 325ee53aafb..9802e4d5b1e 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/projects/uploads_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/projects/uploads_controller_spec.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,20 @@ describe Projects::UploadsController do
     end
   end
 
+  context "when exception occurs" do
+    before do
+      allow(FileUploader).to receive(:workhorse_authorize).and_raise(SocketError.new)
+      sign_in(create(:user))
+    end
+
+    it "responds with status internal_server_error" do
+      post_authorize
+
+      expect(response).to have_gitlab_http_status(500)
+      expect(response.body).to eq('Error uploading file')
+    end
+  end
+
   def post_authorize(verified: true)
     request.headers.merge!(workhorse_internal_api_request_header) if verified