diff --git a/dvc/repo/experiments/apply.py b/dvc/repo/experiments/apply.py
index af4f42671..584517c90 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/experiments/apply.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/experiments/apply.py
@@ -46,7 +46,12 @@ def apply(repo, rev, force=True, **kwargs):
     else:
         workspace = None
 
-    repo.scm.merge(exp_rev, commit=False)
+    from dvc.scm.exceptions import SCMError as _SCMError
+
+    try:
+        repo.scm.merge(exp_rev, commit=False)
+    except _SCMError as exc:
+        raise SCMError(str(exc))
 
     if workspace:
         try:
@@ -61,7 +66,7 @@ def apply(repo, rev, force=True, **kwargs):
                 repo.scm.reset(hard=True)
                 repo.scm.stash.pop()
                 raise ApplyConflictError(rev) from exc
-        except SCMError as exc:
+        except _SCMError as exc:
             raise ApplyConflictError(rev) from exc
         repo.scm.stash.drop()
     repo.scm.reset()
diff --git a/dvc/scm/__init__.py b/dvc/scm/__init__.py
index b3942b9ae..a62b0185f 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/__init__.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/__init__.py
@@ -26,11 +26,17 @@ def SCM(
     Returns:
         dvc.scm.base.Base: SCM instance.
     """
+    from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
+    from dvc.scm.exceptions import SCMError as InternalSCMError
 
-    if no_scm:
-        return NoSCM(root_dir)
-
-    return Git(root_dir, search_parent_directories=search_parent_directories)
+    try:
+        if no_scm:
+            return NoSCM(root_dir)
+        return Git(
+            root_dir, search_parent_directories=search_parent_directories
+        )
+    except InternalSCMError as exc:
+        raise SCMError(str(exc))
 
 
 def clone(url: str, to_path: str, **kwargs):
diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/backend/base.py b/dvc/scm/git/backend/base.py
index cbc571255..9f9ae91bc 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/backend/base.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/backend/base.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from typing import (
     Union,
 )
 
-from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
+from dvc.scm.exceptions import SCMError
 
 from ..objects import GitObject
 
diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/backend/dulwich/__init__.py b/dvc/scm/git/backend/dulwich/__init__.py
index c479740ac..6a7176160 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/backend/dulwich/__init__.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/backend/dulwich/__init__.py
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ from typing import (
 from funcy import cached_property
 
 from dvc.progress import Tqdm
-from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
-from dvc.scm.exceptions import AuthError, InvalidRemote
+from dvc.scm.exceptions import AuthError, InvalidRemote, SCMError
 from dvc.utils import relpath
 
 from ...objects import GitObject
diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/backend/gitpython.py b/dvc/scm/git/backend/gitpython.py
index 4cc3ba60c..430538758 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/backend/gitpython.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/backend/gitpython.py
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@ from typing import (
 from funcy import ignore
 
 from dvc.progress import Tqdm
-from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
-from dvc.scm.exceptions import CloneError, MergeConflictError, RevError
+from dvc.scm.exceptions import (
+    CloneError,
+    MergeConflictError,
+    RevError,
+    SCMError,
+)
 from dvc.utils import fix_env, is_binary, relpath
 
 from ..objects import GitCommit, GitObject
diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py b/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py
index 284fe1c5c..a973da176 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ from typing import (
 
 from funcy import cached_property
 
-from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
-from dvc.scm.exceptions import MergeConflictError, RevError
+from dvc.scm.exceptions import MergeConflictError, RevError, SCMError
 from dvc.utils import relpath
 
 from ..objects import GitCommit, GitObject
diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/stash.py b/dvc/scm/git/stash.py
index 05213a596..4563db0fe 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/stash.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/stash.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import logging
 from typing import Optional
 
-from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
+from dvc.scm.exceptions import SCMError
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py b/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py
index 3cbae66d0..75bce3e17 100644
--- a/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py
+++ b/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import os
 
 import pytest
 
-from dvc.scm.base import SCMError
+from dvc.scm.exceptions import SCMError
 
 
 # Behaves the same as SCM but will test against all supported Git backends.