diff --git a/api/src/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/prepare_to_aspirate.py b/api/src/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/prepare_to_aspirate.py
index d427b38dc1e..d63e42a7f90 100644
--- a/api/src/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/prepare_to_aspirate.py
+++ b/api/src/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/prepare_to_aspirate.py
@@ -1,18 +1,28 @@
 """Prepare to aspirate command request, result, and implementation models."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
+from opentrons_shared_data.errors.exceptions import PipetteOverpressureError
 from pydantic import BaseModel
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional, Type
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional, Type, Union
 from typing_extensions import Literal
 
 from .pipetting_common import (
+    OverpressureError,
     PipetteIdMixin,
 )
-from .command import AbstractCommandImpl, BaseCommand, BaseCommandCreate, SuccessData
+from .command import (
+    AbstractCommandImpl,
+    BaseCommand,
+    BaseCommandCreate,
+    DefinedErrorData,
+    SuccessData,
+)
 from ..errors.error_occurrence import ErrorOccurrence
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from ..execution.pipetting import PipettingHandler
+    from ..execution import PipettingHandler, GantryMover
+    from ..resources import ModelUtils
+
 
 PrepareToAspirateCommandType = Literal["prepareToAspirate"]
 
@@ -29,25 +39,60 @@ class PrepareToAspirateResult(BaseModel):
     pass
 
 
+_ExecuteReturn = Union[
+    SuccessData[PrepareToAspirateResult, None],
+    DefinedErrorData[OverpressureError],
+]
+
+
 class PrepareToAspirateImplementation(
-    AbstractCommandImpl[
-        PrepareToAspirateParams, SuccessData[PrepareToAspirateResult, None]
-    ]
+    AbstractCommandImpl[PrepareToAspirateParams, _ExecuteReturn]
 ):
     """Prepare for aspirate command implementation."""
 
-    def __init__(self, pipetting: PipettingHandler, **kwargs: object) -> None:
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        pipetting: PipettingHandler,
+        model_utils: ModelUtils,
+        gantry_mover: GantryMover,
+        **kwargs: object,
+    ) -> None:
         self._pipetting_handler = pipetting
+        self._model_utils = model_utils
+        self._gantry_mover = gantry_mover
 
-    async def execute(
-        self, params: PrepareToAspirateParams
-    ) -> SuccessData[PrepareToAspirateResult, None]:
+    async def execute(self, params: PrepareToAspirateParams) -> _ExecuteReturn:
         """Prepare the pipette to aspirate."""
-        await self._pipetting_handler.prepare_for_aspirate(
-            pipette_id=params.pipetteId,
-        )
-
-        return SuccessData(public=PrepareToAspirateResult(), private=None)
+        current_position = await self._gantry_mover.get_position(params.pipetteId)
+        try:
+            await self._pipetting_handler.prepare_for_aspirate(
+                pipette_id=params.pipetteId,
+            )
+        except PipetteOverpressureError as e:
+            return DefinedErrorData(
+                public=OverpressureError(
+                    id=self._model_utils.generate_id(),
+                    createdAt=self._model_utils.get_timestamp(),
+                    wrappedErrors=[
+                        ErrorOccurrence.from_failed(
+                            id=self._model_utils.generate_id(),
+                            createdAt=self._model_utils.get_timestamp(),
+                            error=e,
+                        )
+                    ],
+                    errorInfo=(
+                        {
+                            "retryLocation": (
+                                current_position.x,
+                                current_position.y,
+                                current_position.z,
+                            )
+                        }
+                    ),
+                ),
+            )
+        else:
+            return SuccessData(public=PrepareToAspirateResult(), private=None)
 
 
 class PrepareToAspirate(
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/test_prepare_to_aspirate.py b/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/test_prepare_to_aspirate.py
index b11254af481..45e8db96837 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/test_prepare_to_aspirate.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/protocol_engine/commands/test_prepare_to_aspirate.py
@@ -1,25 +1,41 @@
 """Test prepare to aspirate commands."""
-
-from decoy import Decoy
+from datetime import datetime
+from opentrons.types import Point
+import pytest
+from decoy import Decoy, matchers
 
 from opentrons.protocol_engine.execution import (
     PipettingHandler,
 )
 
-from opentrons.protocol_engine.commands.command import SuccessData
+from opentrons.protocol_engine.commands.command import DefinedErrorData, SuccessData
 from opentrons.protocol_engine.commands.prepare_to_aspirate import (
     PrepareToAspirateParams,
     PrepareToAspirateImplementation,
     PrepareToAspirateResult,
 )
+from opentrons.protocol_engine.execution.gantry_mover import GantryMover
+from opentrons.protocol_engine.resources.model_utils import ModelUtils
+from opentrons.protocol_engine.commands.pipetting_common import OverpressureError
+from opentrons_shared_data.errors.exceptions import PipetteOverpressureError
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def subject(
+    pipetting: PipettingHandler,
+    model_utils: ModelUtils,
+    gantry_mover: GantryMover,
+) -> PrepareToAspirateImplementation:
+    """Get the implementation subject."""
+    return PrepareToAspirateImplementation(
+        pipetting=pipetting, model_utils=model_utils, gantry_mover=gantry_mover
+    )
 
 
 async def test_prepare_to_aspirate_implmenetation(
-    decoy: Decoy, pipetting: PipettingHandler
+    decoy: Decoy, subject: PrepareToAspirateImplementation, pipetting: PipettingHandler
 ) -> None:
     """A PrepareToAspirate command should have an executing implementation."""
-    subject = PrepareToAspirateImplementation(pipetting=pipetting)
-
     data = PrepareToAspirateParams(pipetteId="some id")
 
     decoy.when(await pipetting.prepare_for_aspirate(pipette_id="some id")).then_return(
@@ -28,3 +44,44 @@ async def test_prepare_to_aspirate_implmenetation(
 
     result = await subject.execute(data)
     assert result == SuccessData(public=PrepareToAspirateResult(), private=None)
+
+
+async def test_overpressure_error(
+    decoy: Decoy,
+    gantry_mover: GantryMover,
+    pipetting: PipettingHandler,
+    subject: PrepareToAspirateImplementation,
+    model_utils: ModelUtils,
+) -> None:
+    """It should return an overpressure error if the hardware API indicates that."""
+    pipette_id = "pipette-id"
+
+    position = Point(x=1, y=2, z=3)
+
+    error_id = "error-id"
+    error_timestamp = datetime(year=2020, month=1, day=2)
+
+    data = PrepareToAspirateParams(
+        pipetteId=pipette_id,
+    )
+
+    decoy.when(
+        await pipetting.prepare_for_aspirate(
+            pipette_id=pipette_id,
+        ),
+    ).then_raise(PipetteOverpressureError())
+
+    decoy.when(model_utils.generate_id()).then_return(error_id)
+    decoy.when(model_utils.get_timestamp()).then_return(error_timestamp)
+    decoy.when(await gantry_mover.get_position(pipette_id)).then_return(position)
+
+    result = await subject.execute(data)
+
+    assert result == DefinedErrorData(
+        public=OverpressureError.construct(
+            id=error_id,
+            createdAt=error_timestamp,
+            wrappedErrors=[matchers.Anything()],
+            errorInfo={"retryLocation": (position.x, position.y, position.z)},
+        ),
+    )