diff --git a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
index a176a0623ab..901c2b75d9f 100644
--- a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
+++ b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
@@ -890,9 +890,17 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeAck(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	cacheCtx, writeFn := ctx.CacheContext()
 	err = cbs.OnChanUpgradeAck(cacheCtx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, msg.CounterpartyUpgrade.Fields.Version)
 	if err != nil {
+		channel, found := k.ChannelKeeper.GetChannel(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId)
+		if !found {
+			return nil, errorsmod.Wrapf(channeltypes.ErrChannelNotFound, "channel not found for port ID (%s) channel ID (%s)", msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId)
+		}
+
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade ack callback failed", "port-id", msg.PortId, "channel-id", msg.ChannelId, "error", err.Error())
 		cbs.OnChanUpgradeRestore(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId)
-		k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err)
+
+		// explicitly wrap the application callback in an upgrade error with the correct upgrade sequence.
+		// this prevents any errors caused from the application returning an UpgradeError with an incorrect sequence.
+		k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, channeltypes.NewUpgradeError(channel.UpgradeSequence, err))
 
 		return &channeltypes.MsgChannelUpgradeAckResponse{Result: channeltypes.FAILURE}, nil
 	}
diff --git a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server_test.go b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server_test.go
index dd2113d00b7..0b40fb637bb 100644
--- a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server_test.go
+++ b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server_test.go
@@ -1393,6 +1393,18 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestChannelUpgradeAck() {
 				suite.Require().Empty(events)
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			"application callback returns an upgrade error",
+			func() {
+				suite.chainA.GetSimApp().IBCMockModule.IBCApp.OnChanUpgradeAck = func(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID, counterpartyVersion string) error {
+					return channeltypes.NewUpgradeError(10000000, ibcmock.MockApplicationCallbackError)
+				}
+			},
+			func(res *channeltypes.MsgChannelUpgradeAckResponse, events []abci.Event, err error) {
+				suite.Require().Equal(channeltypes.FAILURE, res.Result)
+				suite.Require().Equal(uint64(1), path.EndpointA.GetChannel().UpgradeSequence, "application callback upgrade sequence should not be used")
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {