diff --git a/packages/server/lib/modes/record.js b/packages/server/lib/modes/record.js
index 9442fdf938..5594568bed 100644
--- a/packages/server/lib/modes/record.js
+++ b/packages/server/lib/modes/record.js
@@ -397,13 +397,19 @@ const createRun = Promise.method((options = {}) => {
       }
     })
   }).catch((err) => {
-    debug('failed creating run %o', {
+    debug('failed creating run with status %d %o', err.statusCode, {
       stack: err.stack,
     })
 
     switch (err.statusCode) {
       case 401:
         recordKey = keys.hide(recordKey)
+        if (!recordKey) {
+          // make sure the key is defined, otherwise the error
+          // printing logic substitutes the default value {}
+          // leading to "[object Object]" :)
+          recordKey = 'undefined'
+        }
 
         return errors.throw('DASHBOARD_RECORD_KEY_NOT_VALID', recordKey, projectId)
       case 402: {
diff --git a/packages/server/lib/util/args.js b/packages/server/lib/util/args.js
index 54dfdbcc27..ef0805cd64 100644
--- a/packages/server/lib/util/args.js
+++ b/packages/server/lib/util/args.js
@@ -238,6 +238,12 @@ module.exports = {
       project = undefined
     }
 
+    // if non-string key has been passed, set it to undefined
+    // https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/14571
+    if (typeof options.key !== 'string') {
+      delete options.key
+    }
+
     if (spec) {
       const resolvePath = (p) => {
         return path.resolve(options.cwd, p)
diff --git a/packages/server/lib/util/keys.js b/packages/server/lib/util/keys.js
index c7dfd626b7..abdeb243b1 100644
--- a/packages/server/lib/util/keys.js
+++ b/packages/server/lib/util/keys.js
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ const hide = (token) => {
     return
   }
 
+  if (typeof token !== 'string') {
+    // maybe somehow we passes key=true?
+    // https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/14571
+    return
+  }
+
   return [
     token.slice(0, 5),
     token.slice(-5),
diff --git a/packages/server/test/unit/args_spec.js b/packages/server/test/unit/args_spec.js
index d904fad870..0b5b449fb4 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/unit/args_spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/test/unit/args_spec.js
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ describe('lib/util/args', () => {
       this.obj = { config: { foo: 'bar' }, project: 'foo/bar' }
     })
 
-    it('rejects values which have an cooresponding underscore\'d key', function () {
+    it('rejects values which have an corresponding underscore\'d key', function () {
       expect(argsUtil.toArray(this.obj)).to.deep.eq([
         `--config=${JSON.stringify({ foo: 'bar' })}`,
         '--project=foo/bar',
diff --git a/packages/server/test/unit/modes/record_spec.js b/packages/server/test/unit/modes/record_spec.js
index f937f43eb1..9b0456592a 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/unit/modes/record_spec.js
+++ b/packages/server/test/unit/modes/record_spec.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const debug = require('debug')('test')
 const commitInfo = require('@cypress/commit-info')
 const mockedEnv = require('mocked-env')
 
+const errors = require(`${root}../lib/errors`)
 const api = require(`${root}../lib/api`)
 const logger = require(`${root}../lib/logger`)
 const recordMode = require(`${root}../lib/modes/record`)
@@ -492,6 +493,22 @@ describe('lib/modes/record', () => {
         expect(api.retryWithBackoff).to.be.calledOnce
       })
     })
+
+    // https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/14571
+    it('handles non-string key', async () => {
+      const apiError = new Error('Invalid Record Key')
+
+      apiError.statusCode = 401
+
+      sinon.stub(api, 'retryWithBackoff').rejects(apiError)
+      sinon.spy(errors, 'throw')
+      await expect(recordMode.createRun({
+        git: {},
+        recordKey: true, // instead of a string
+      })).to.be.rejected
+
+      expect(errors.throw).to.have.been.calledWith('DASHBOARD_RECORD_KEY_NOT_VALID', 'undefined')
+    })
   })
 
   context('.updateInstance', () => {
diff --git a/packages/server/test/unit/util/keys_spec.ts b/packages/server/test/unit/util/keys_spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7851be19b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/test/unit/util/keys_spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { hide } from '../../../lib/util/keys'
+import { expect } from 'chai'
+
+describe('util/keys', () => {
+  it('removes middle part of the string', () => {
+    const hidden = hide('12345-xxxx-abcde')
+
+    expect(hidden).to.equal('12345...abcde')
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for missing key', () => {
+    expect(hide()).to.be.undefined
+  })
+
+  // https://github.com/cypress-io/cypress/issues/14571
+  it('returns undefined for non-string argument', () => {
+    expect(hide(true)).to.be.undefined
+    expect(hide(1234)).to.be.undefined
+  })
+})