diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ea4a0f263..31f2e8c2d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ See the README.md file in each main sample directory for cut/paste Gradle comman
 
 - [**Exclude Workflow/ActivityTypes from Interceptors**](/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/excludefrominterceptor): Demonstrates how to exclude certain workflow / activity types from interceptors.
 
+- [**Early Return**](/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn): Demonstrates how a client can start a new workflow and synchronously receive
+  a response mid-workflow, while the workflow continues to run to completion (using Update-with-Start).
+
 #### SDK Metrics
 
 - [**Set up SDK metrics**](/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/metrics): Demonstrates how to set up and scrape SDK metrics.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/EarlyReturnClient.java b/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/EarlyReturnClient.java
index 6ccb11da1..b5c3b46d3 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/EarlyReturnClient.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/EarlyReturnClient.java
@@ -76,7 +76,25 @@ private static void runWorkflowWithUpdateWithStart(WorkflowClient client) {
               + result.getTransactionId()
               + ")");
     } catch (Exception e) {
-      System.err.println("Transaction initialization failed: " + e.getMessage());
+      if (e.getCause() instanceof io.grpc.StatusRuntimeException) {
+        io.grpc.StatusRuntimeException sre = (io.grpc.StatusRuntimeException) e.getCause();
+
+        System.err.println("Workflow failed with StatusRuntimeException: " + sre.getMessage());
+        System.err.println("Cause: " + e.getCause());
+
+        if (sre.getStatus().getCode() == io.grpc.Status.Code.PERMISSION_DENIED
+            && sre.getMessage()
+                .contains("ExecuteMultiOperation API is disabled on this namespace")) {
+
+          // Inform the user that UpdateWithStart requires the ExecuteMultiOperation API to be
+          // enabled
+          System.err.println(
+              "UpdateWithStart requires the ExecuteMultiOperation API to be enabled on this namespace.");
+        }
+      } else {
+        System.err.println("Transaction initialization failed: " + e.getMessage());
+        System.err.println("Cause: " + e.getCause());
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/TransactionWorkflowImpl.java b/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/TransactionWorkflowImpl.java
index 8f7c86d34..71065f4bf 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/TransactionWorkflowImpl.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/io/temporal/samples/earlyreturn/TransactionWorkflowImpl.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public TxResult processTransaction(TransactionRequest txRequest) {
     } catch (Exception e) {
       initError = e;
     } finally {
-      initDone = true;
+      initDone = true; // Will unblock the early-return returnInitResult method
     }
 
     if (initError != null) {
@@ -60,13 +60,14 @@ public TxResult processTransaction(TransactionRequest txRequest) {
 
   @Override
   public TxResult returnInitResult() {
-    Workflow.await(() -> initDone);
+    Workflow.await(() -> initDone); // Wait for the initialization step of the workflow to complete
 
     if (initError != null) {
       log.info("Initialization failed.");
       throw Workflow.wrap(initError);
     }
 
-    return new TxResult(tx.getId(), "Initialization successful");
+    return new TxResult(
+        tx.getId(), "Initialization successful"); // Return the update result to the caller
   }
 }