diff --git a/docs/diagram.md b/docs/diagram.md
index a6512a75..6c49772c 100644
--- a/docs/diagram.md
+++ b/docs/diagram.md
@@ -486,6 +486,24 @@ JupyterLab cells — no extra code needed:
 ![Approval machine on JupyterLab](images/lab_approval_machine_accepted.png)
 
 
+## When Graphviz fails
+
+Every path that runs `dot` (the `svg` format, `_repr_svg_()` in Jupyter, the command line
+and the Sphinx directive) raises
+{class}`~statemachine.contrib.diagram.GraphvizError` when the program is missing from
+`PATH`, cannot run or exits with an error. The message carries the format that was requested and
+what Graphviz wrote to stderr, such as
+`Error: <stdin>: syntax error in line 25 near ','`. The Sphinx directive reports the same
+text as a build warning.
+
+Formats requested directly on the `pydot.Dot` object (`write_png()`, `create_svg()`, ...)
+are run by pydot, which reports only the exit code.
+
+```{eval-rst}
+.. autoexception:: statemachine.contrib.diagram.GraphvizError
+```
+
+
 ## Online generation (QuickChart)
 
 If you prefer not to install Graphviz locally, you can generate diagrams
diff --git a/docs/images/readme_trafficlightmachine.png b/docs/images/readme_trafficlightmachine.png
index 2f65f411..2df8eb5f 100644
Binary files a/docs/images/readme_trafficlightmachine.png and b/docs/images/readme_trafficlightmachine.png differ
diff --git a/docs/releases/3.2.2.md b/docs/releases/3.2.2.md
index 501eccdc..201b594f 100644
--- a/docs/releases/3.2.2.md
+++ b/docs/releases/3.2.2.md
@@ -333,6 +333,20 @@ queued behind one that reaches a final state is no longer processed.
 
 [#668](https://github.com/fgmacedo/python-statemachine/pull/668).
 
+### Graphviz errors reported only the exit code
+
+A diagram that `dot` refused to render (the `svg` format, `_repr_svg_()` in Jupyter, the
+command line or the Sphinx directive) failed with `"dot" with args [...] returned code: 1`,
+while the reason, such as `Error: <stdin>: syntax error in line 25 near ','`, was printed to
+stdout by pydot, apart from the exception and from the Sphinx warning. These paths now run `dot` directly and raise
+`GraphvizError` with the format that was requested and what Graphviz wrote to stderr. The
+Sphinx directive reports the same text in its warning, and a missing `dot` says so, with a
+link to the Graphviz download page.
+
+Reported by [@barnettwilliam](https://github.com/barnettwilliam).
+
+[#649](https://github.com/fgmacedo/python-statemachine/issues/649).
+
 ## Documentation in 3.2.2
 
 ### Platform events are not meant to be sent by user code
diff --git a/statemachine/contrib/diagram/__init__.py b/statemachine/contrib/diagram/__init__.py
index a5f5c368..4b37b8b0 100644
--- a/statemachine/contrib/diagram/__init__.py
+++ b/statemachine/contrib/diagram/__init__.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 
 from .extract import extract
 from .formatter import formatter as formatter
+from .graphviz import GraphvizError as GraphvizError
+from .graphviz import run_graphviz
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .renderers.dot import DotRendererConfig
@@ -207,13 +209,19 @@ def write_image(qualname, out, events=None, fmt=None):
         else:
             with open(out, "w") as f:
                 f.write(text)
+    elif out == "-":
+        sys.stdout.buffer.write(_render_image(machine, "svg"))
     else:
-        graph = DotGraphMachine(machine).get_graph()
-        if out == "-":
-            sys.stdout.buffer.write(graph.create_svg())  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-        else:
-            out_extension = out.rsplit(".", 1)[1]
-            graph.write(out, format=out_extension)
+        image = _render_image(machine, out.rsplit(".", 1)[1])
+        with open(out, "wb") as f:
+            f.write(image)
+
+
+def _render_image(machine, fmt: str) -> bytes:
+    dot_source: str = DotGraphMachine(machine).get_graph().to_string()
+    if fmt == "raw":
+        return dot_source.encode("utf-8")
+    return run_graphviz(dot_source, fmt)
 
 
 def main(argv=None):
diff --git a/statemachine/contrib/diagram/formatter.py b/statemachine/contrib/diagram/formatter.py
index 2027be31..f95e2abc 100644
--- a/statemachine/contrib/diagram/formatter.py
+++ b/statemachine/contrib/diagram/formatter.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ def _render_plantuml(machine):
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
+from .graphviz import run_graphviz
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import TypeAlias
 
@@ -108,8 +110,8 @@ def _render_dot(machine_or_class: "MachineRef") -> str:
 def _render_svg(machine_or_class: "MachineRef") -> str:
     from statemachine.contrib.diagram import DotGraphMachine
 
-    svg_bytes: bytes = DotGraphMachine(machine_or_class).get_graph().create_svg()  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-    return svg_bytes.decode("utf-8")
+    dot_source = DotGraphMachine(machine_or_class).get_graph().to_string()
+    return run_graphviz(dot_source, "svg").decode("utf-8")
 
 
 @formatter.register_format("mermaid")
diff --git a/statemachine/contrib/diagram/graphviz.py b/statemachine/contrib/diagram/graphviz.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..971607dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/statemachine/contrib/diagram/graphviz.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+"""Run the Graphviz ``dot`` program and report its failures."""
+
+import subprocess
+
+from statemachine.exceptions import StateMachineError
+
+GRAPHVIZ_DOWNLOAD_URL = "https://graphviz.org/download/"
+
+
+class GraphvizError(StateMachineError):
+    """Raised when the Graphviz ``dot`` program cannot run or fails to render a graph."""
+
+
+def run_graphviz(dot_source: str, fmt: str, prog: str = "dot") -> bytes:
+    """Render ``dot_source`` with Graphviz and return the output bytes.
+
+    Args:
+        dot_source: Graph in the DOT language.
+        fmt: Graphviz output format, passed as ``-T<fmt>`` (``"svg"``, ``"png"``, ...).
+        prog: Graphviz layout program to run, looked up on ``PATH``.
+
+    Raises:
+        GraphvizError: If ``prog`` cannot be run or exits with a non-zero code.
+            The message carries what Graphviz wrote to stderr.
+    """
+    command = [prog, f"-T{fmt}"]
+    try:
+        completed = subprocess.run(
+            command,
+            input=dot_source.encode("utf-8"),
+            capture_output=True,
+            creationflags=getattr(subprocess, "CREATE_NO_WINDOW", 0),
+        )
+    except FileNotFoundError as err:
+        raise GraphvizError(
+            f"{prog!r} not found in PATH. Install Graphviz from {GRAPHVIZ_DOWNLOAD_URL} "
+            "to generate diagrams."
+        ) from err
+    except OSError as err:
+        raise GraphvizError(f"{prog!r} could not be run: {err}") from err
+
+    if completed.returncode != 0:
+        if completed.returncode < 0:
+            message = f"{' '.join(command)} was terminated by signal {-completed.returncode}."
+        else:
+            message = f"{' '.join(command)} failed with exit code {completed.returncode}."
+        stderr = completed.stderr.decode("utf-8", errors="replace").strip()
+        if stderr:
+            message = f"{message}\n{stderr}"
+        raise GraphvizError(message)
+
+    return completed.stdout
diff --git a/tests/scrape_images.py b/tests/scrape_images.py
index 2547b536..16ca8d88 100644
--- a/tests/scrape_images.py
+++ b/tests/scrape_images.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import re
 
-from statemachine.contrib.diagram import DotGraphMachine
+from statemachine.contrib.diagram import formatter
 from statemachine.factory import StateMachineMetaclass
 
 from .helpers import import_module_by_path
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def _get_module(self, src_file):
     def generate_image(self, sm_class, original_path):
         image_path = self.re_replace_png_extension.sub(".svg", original_path)
 
-        svg = DotGraphMachine(sm_class).get_graph().create_svg().decode()
+        svg = formatter.render(sm_class, "svg")
         with open(image_path, "w") as f:
             f.write(svg)
         return image_path
diff --git a/tests/test_contrib_diagram.py b/tests/test_contrib_diagram.py
index eb63df4a..52ddd737 100644
--- a/tests/test_contrib_diagram.py
+++ b/tests/test_contrib_diagram.py
@@ -1896,3 +1896,97 @@ def test_mermaid_render_failure_returns_warning(self, tmp_path):
         directive.state_machine.reporter.warning.assert_called_once()
         call_args = directive.state_machine.reporter.warning.call_args
         assert "failed to generate mermaid" in call_args[0][0]
+
+
+class TestGraphvizErrors:
+    """Issue #649: a failing ``dot`` must report what Graphviz wrote to stderr."""
+
+    _QUALNAME = "tests.examples.traffic_light_machine.TrafficLightMachine"
+    _MALFORMED_DOT = "digraph { a -> ; }"
+
+    @pytest.fixture()
+    def malformed_dot(self):
+        with mock.patch("pydot.Dot.to_string", return_value=self._MALFORMED_DOT):
+            yield
+
+    def test_run_graphviz_reports_stderr_and_format(self):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.graphviz import run_graphviz
+
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError) as excinfo:
+            run_graphviz(self._MALFORMED_DOT, "svg")
+
+        message = str(excinfo.value)
+        assert "dot -Tsvg" in message
+        assert "exit code 1" in message
+        assert "syntax error" in message
+        assert "near ';'" in message
+
+    def test_run_graphviz_succeeds(self):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.graphviz import run_graphviz
+
+        svg = run_graphviz("digraph { a -> b }", "svg")
+        assert svg.startswith(b"<?xml")
+        png = run_graphviz("digraph { a -> b }", "png")
+        assert png.startswith(b"\x89PNG")
+
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("malformed_dot")
+    def test_format_svg_surfaces_stderr(self):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+
+        from tests.examples.traffic_light_machine import TrafficLightMachine
+
+        sm = TrafficLightMachine()
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match="syntax error"):
+            format(sm, "svg")
+
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("malformed_dot")
+    def test_repr_svg_surfaces_stderr(self):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+
+        from tests.examples.traffic_light_machine import TrafficLightMachine
+
+        sm = TrafficLightMachine()
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match="syntax error"):
+            sm._repr_svg_()
+
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("malformed_dot")
+    def test_write_image_to_file_surfaces_stderr(self, tmp_path):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+
+        out = tmp_path / "sm.png"
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match=r"(?s)dot -Tpng failed.*syntax error"):
+            main([self._QUALNAME, str(out)])
+
+        assert not out.exists()
+
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("malformed_dot")
+    def test_write_image_to_stdout_surfaces_stderr(self, capsysbinary):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match=r"(?s)dot -Tsvg failed.*syntax error"):
+            main([self._QUALNAME, "-"])
+
+        assert capsysbinary.readouterr().out == b""
+
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("malformed_dot")
+    def test_sphinx_warning_surfaces_stderr(self, tmp_path):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.sphinx_ext import StateMachineDiagram
+
+        directive = StateMachineDiagram.__new__(StateMachineDiagram)
+        directive.options = {}
+        directive.lineno = 1
+        directive.state_machine = mock.MagicMock()
+        directive.state = mock.MagicMock()
+        directive.state.document.settings.env.app.outdir = str(tmp_path)
+        directive.content_offset = 0
+        directive.arguments = [self._QUALNAME]
+
+        result = directive.run()
+
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        directive.state_machine.reporter.warning.assert_called_once()
+        message = directive.state_machine.reporter.warning.call_args[0][0]
+        assert "failed to generate diagram" in message
+        assert "dot -Tsvg failed" in message
+        assert "syntax error" in message
diff --git a/tests/test_contrib_diagram_graphviz.py b/tests/test_contrib_diagram_graphviz.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ae35c5ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_contrib_diagram_graphviz.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+"""Issue #649: ``run_graphviz`` errors that need no Graphviz installed."""
+
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+from statemachine.contrib.diagram import main
+
+
+class TestGraphvizWithoutDot:
+    _QUALNAME = "tests.examples.traffic_light_machine.TrafficLightMachine"
+
+    def test_run_graphviz_without_stderr_output(self, monkeypatch):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.graphviz import run_graphviz
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "subprocess.run",
+            lambda *args, **kwargs: subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, 3, b"", b""),
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match=r"dot -Tpng failed with exit code 3\.$"):
+            run_graphviz("digraph {}", "png")
+
+    def test_run_graphviz_terminated_by_signal(self, monkeypatch):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.graphviz import run_graphviz
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            "subprocess.run",
+            lambda *args, **kwargs: subprocess.CompletedProcess(args, -9, b"", b"killed"),
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match=r"dot -Tsvg was terminated by signal 9\.\nkilled"):
+            run_graphviz("digraph {}", "svg")
+
+    def test_run_graphviz_without_dot_in_path(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.graphviz import run_graphviz
+
+        monkeypatch.setenv("PATH", str(tmp_path))
+
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match="'dot' not found in PATH") as excinfo:
+            run_graphviz("digraph {}", "svg")
+
+        assert "graphviz.org/download" in str(excinfo.value)
+        assert isinstance(excinfo.value.__cause__, FileNotFoundError)
+
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="file mode bits are POSIX only")
+    def test_run_graphviz_with_dot_that_cannot_run(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram.graphviz import run_graphviz
+
+        (tmp_path / "dot").write_text("")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("PATH", str(tmp_path))
+
+        with pytest.raises(GraphvizError, match="'dot' could not be run: .*Permission denied"):
+            run_graphviz("digraph {}", "svg")
+
+    def test_graphviz_error_is_a_statemachine_error(self):
+        from statemachine.contrib.diagram import GraphvizError
+        from statemachine.exceptions import StateMachineError
+
+        assert issubclass(GraphvizError, StateMachineError)
+
+    def test_write_image_raw_writes_dot_source_without_running_dot(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setenv("PATH", str(tmp_path))
+        out = tmp_path / "sm.raw"
+
+        main([self._QUALNAME, str(out)])
+
+        assert out.read_text(encoding="utf-8").startswith("digraph TrafficLightMachine {")