@@ -196,11 +196,15 @@ func (r *FeatureStoreReconciler) deployFeast(ctx context.Context, cr *feastdevv1
 		} else {
 			isDeployAvailable := services.IsDeploymentAvailable(deployment.Status.Conditions)
 			if !isDeployAvailable {
+				msg := feastdevv1.DeploymentNotAvailableMessage
+				if podMsg := feast.GetPodContainerFailureMessage(deployment); podMsg != "" {
+					msg = msg + ": " + podMsg
+				}
 				condition = metav1.Condition{
 					Type:    feastdevv1.ReadyType,
 					Status:  metav1.ConditionUnknown,
 					Reason:  feastdevv1.DeploymentNotAvailableReason,
-					Message: feastdevv1.DeploymentNotAvailableMessage,
+					Message: msg,
 				}
 
 				result = errResult
 
@@ -733,8 +733,9 @@ func (feast *FeastServices) setInitContainer(podSpec *corev1.PodSpec, fsYamlB64
 				Command:    []string{"feast", "apply"},
 				WorkingDir: featureRepoDir,
 			}
-			// feast apply needs DB/store connectivity, so inherit env/envFrom
-			// from all server container configs (registry, online, offline).
+			// feast apply needs DB/store connectivity, so inherit env, envFrom
+			// and volume mounts from all server container configs.
+			seen := map[string]bool{}
 			for _, feastType := range []FeastServiceType{RegistryFeastType, OnlineFeastType, OfflineFeastType} {
 				if serverConfigs := feast.getServerConfigs(feastType); serverConfigs != nil {
 					if serverConfigs.OptionalCtrConfigs.Env != nil {
@@ -743,6 +744,12 @@ func (feast *FeastServices) setInitContainer(podSpec *corev1.PodSpec, fsYamlB64
 					if serverConfigs.OptionalCtrConfigs.EnvFrom != nil {
 						applyContainer.EnvFrom = append(applyContainer.EnvFrom, *serverConfigs.OptionalCtrConfigs.EnvFrom...)
 					}
+					for _, vm := range feast.getVolumeMounts(feastType) {
+						if !seen[vm.MountPath] {
+							applyContainer.VolumeMounts = append(applyContainer.VolumeMounts, vm)
+							seen[vm.MountPath] = true
+						}
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			podSpec.InitContainers = append(podSpec.InitContainers, applyContainer)
@@ -1427,6 +1434,67 @@ func IsDeploymentAvailable(conditions []appsv1.DeploymentCondition) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// GetPodContainerFailureMessage inspects pods belonging to the given deployment
+// and returns a human-readable message describing the first init or regular
+// container that is in a failing state. Returns empty string if no failure found.
+func (feast *FeastServices) GetPodContainerFailureMessage(deploy appsv1.Deployment) string {
+	podList := corev1.PodList{}
+	labels := feast.getLabels()
+	if err := feast.Handler.Client.List(feast.Handler.Context, &podList,
+		client.InNamespace(deploy.Namespace),
+		client.MatchingLabels(labels),
+	); err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	for i := range podList.Items {
+		pod := &podList.Items[i]
+		if msg := initContainerFailureMessage(pod); msg != "" {
+			return msg
+		}
+		if msg := containerFailureMessage(pod); msg != "" {
+			return msg
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func initContainerFailureMessage(pod *corev1.Pod) string {
+	for _, cs := range pod.Status.InitContainerStatuses {
+		if cs.State.Waiting != nil && cs.State.Waiting.Reason != "" && cs.State.Waiting.Reason != "PodInitializing" {
+			return "Init container '" + cs.Name + "' waiting: " + cs.State.Waiting.Reason +
+				messageIfPresent(cs.State.Waiting.Message)
+		}
+		if cs.State.Terminated != nil && cs.State.Terminated.ExitCode != 0 {
+			return "Init container '" + cs.Name + "' failed with exit code " +
+				strconv.Itoa(int(cs.State.Terminated.ExitCode)) +
+				messageIfPresent(cs.State.Terminated.Message)
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func containerFailureMessage(pod *corev1.Pod) string {
+	for _, cs := range pod.Status.ContainerStatuses {
+		if cs.State.Waiting != nil && cs.State.Waiting.Reason != "" && cs.State.Waiting.Reason != "ContainerCreating" {
+			return "Container '" + cs.Name + "' waiting: " + cs.State.Waiting.Reason +
+				messageIfPresent(cs.State.Waiting.Message)
+		}
+		if cs.State.Terminated != nil && cs.State.Terminated.ExitCode != 0 {
+			return "Container '" + cs.Name + "' failed with exit code " +
+				strconv.Itoa(int(cs.State.Terminated.ExitCode)) +
+				messageIfPresent(cs.State.Terminated.Message)
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func messageIfPresent(msg string) string {
+	if msg != "" {
+		return " - " + msg
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
 // GetFeastRestServiceName returns the feast REST service object name based on service type
 func (feast *FeastServices) GetFeastRestServiceName(feastType FeastServiceType) string {
 	return feast.GetFeastServiceName(feastType) + "-rest"
 
@@ -573,3 +573,119 @@ var _ = Describe("Registry Service", func() {
 		})
 	})
 })
+
+var _ = Describe("Pod Container Failure Messages", func() {
+	It("should detect init container in CrashLoopBackOff", func() {
+		pod := &corev1.Pod{
+			Status: corev1.PodStatus{
+				InitContainerStatuses: []corev1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						Name: "feast-init",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Terminated: &corev1.ContainerStateTerminated{ExitCode: 0},
+						},
+					},
+					{
+						Name: "feast-apply",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Waiting: &corev1.ContainerStateWaiting{
+								Reason:  "CrashLoopBackOff",
+								Message: "back-off 5m0s restarting failed container",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		msg := initContainerFailureMessage(pod)
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("feast-apply"))
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("CrashLoopBackOff"))
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("back-off 5m0s"))
+	})
+
+	It("should detect init container terminated with non-zero exit code", func() {
+		pod := &corev1.Pod{
+			Status: corev1.PodStatus{
+				InitContainerStatuses: []corev1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						Name: "feast-apply",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Terminated: &corev1.ContainerStateTerminated{
+								ExitCode: 1,
+								Message:  "feast apply failed",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		msg := initContainerFailureMessage(pod)
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("feast-apply"))
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("exit code 1"))
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("feast apply failed"))
+	})
+
+	It("should return empty for init containers still initializing", func() {
+		pod := &corev1.Pod{
+			Status: corev1.PodStatus{
+				InitContainerStatuses: []corev1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						Name: "feast-init",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Waiting: &corev1.ContainerStateWaiting{
+								Reason: "PodInitializing",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		Expect(initContainerFailureMessage(pod)).To(BeEmpty())
+	})
+
+	It("should detect regular container failure", func() {
+		pod := &corev1.Pod{
+			Status: corev1.PodStatus{
+				ContainerStatuses: []corev1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						Name: "registry",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Waiting: &corev1.ContainerStateWaiting{
+								Reason:  "ImagePullBackOff",
+								Message: "image not found",
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		msg := containerFailureMessage(pod)
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("registry"))
+		Expect(msg).To(ContainSubstring("ImagePullBackOff"))
+	})
+
+	It("should return empty for healthy pods", func() {
+		pod := &corev1.Pod{
+			Status: corev1.PodStatus{
+				InitContainerStatuses: []corev1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						Name: "feast-init",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Terminated: &corev1.ContainerStateTerminated{ExitCode: 0},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				ContainerStatuses: []corev1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						Name: "registry",
+						State: corev1.ContainerState{
+							Running: &corev1.ContainerStateRunning{},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+		Expect(initContainerFailureMessage(pod)).To(BeEmpty())
+		Expect(containerFailureMessage(pod)).To(BeEmpty())
+	})
+})