diff --git a/lib/public_key/src/pubkey_os_cacerts.erl b/lib/public_key/src/pubkey_os_cacerts.erl
index e0b15810d9a5..b4412111342b 100644
--- a/lib/public_key/src/pubkey_os_cacerts.erl
+++ b/lib/public_key/src/pubkey_os_cacerts.erl
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ load_nif() ->
 %%%
 
 conv_error_reason(enoent) -> enoent;
+conv_error_reason(no_cacerts_found) -> no_cacerts_found;
 conv_error_reason({enotsup, _OS}) -> enotsup;
 conv_error_reason({eopnotsupp, _Reason}) -> eopnotsupp;
 conv_error_reason({eopnotsupp, _Status, _Acc}) -> eopnotsupp.
@@ -316,6 +317,8 @@ format_error(Reason, [{_M, _F, _As, Info} | _]) ->
     Message = case Cause of
         enoent ->
             "operating system CA bundle could not be located";
+        no_cacerts_found ->
+            "no CA certificates were found on the system";
         {enotsup, OS} ->
             io_lib:format("operating system ~p is not supported", [OS]);
         {eopnotsupp, SubReason} ->
diff --git a/lib/public_key/test/public_key_SUITE.erl b/lib/public_key/test/public_key_SUITE.erl
index 4c2a37a6f65d..05e2e76ed5c8 100644
--- a/lib/public_key/test/public_key_SUITE.erl
+++ b/lib/public_key/test/public_key_SUITE.erl
@@ -2250,6 +2250,25 @@ cacerts_load(Config) ->
     Datadir = proplists:get_value(data_dir, Config),
     {error, enoent} = public_key:cacerts_load("/dummy.file"),
 
+    %% When no CA certificates can be found (missing bundle or one
+    %% without any CA certificates) this should surface as a
+    %% {failed_load_cacerts, no_cacerts_found} error through cacerts_get()
+    %% and be formattable, not crash the error conversion
+    _ = public_key:cacerts_clear(),
+    EmptyDir = filename:join(proplists:get_value(priv_dir, Config),
+                             "empty_cacerts_dir"),
+    ok = filelib:ensure_path(EmptyDir),
+    {error, no_cacerts_found} = pubkey_os_cacerts:load([EmptyDir]),
+    application:set_env(public_key, cacerts_path, EmptyDir),
+    try public_key:cacerts_get() of
+        _ -> ct:fail(no_cacerts_found_not_raised)
+    catch
+        error:{failed_load_cacerts, no_cacerts_found} = Error:ST ->
+            #{general := _, reason := _} =
+                pubkey_os_cacerts:format_error(Error, ST)
+    end,
+    application:unset_env(public_key, cacerts_path),
+
     %% White box testing of paths loading
     %% TestDirs
     ok = pubkey_os_cacerts:load([filename:join(Datadir, "non_existing_dir"),