diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/ScalaUDF.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/ScalaUDF.scala
index 3d10b084a8db..242a065a58e5 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/ScalaUDF.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/ScalaUDF.scala
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.encoders.ExpressionEncoder
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.codegen._
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions.codegen.Block._
 import org.apache.spark.sql.types.{AbstractDataType, AnyDataType, DataType, UserDefinedType}
+import org.apache.spark.util.Utils
 
 /**
  * User-defined function.
@@ -1152,7 +1153,7 @@ case class ScalaUDF(
   private[this] val resultConverter = createToCatalystConverter(dataType)
 
   lazy val udfErrorMessage = {
-    val funcCls = function.getClass.getSimpleName
+    val funcCls = Utils.getSimpleName(function.getClass)
     val inputTypes = children.map(_.dataType.catalogString).mkString(", ")
     val outputType = dataType.catalogString
     s"Failed to execute user defined function($funcCls: ($inputTypes) => $outputType)"
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/UDFSuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/UDFSuite.scala
index 5c1fe265c15d..8b7e9ecfe4e4 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/UDFSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/UDFSuite.scala
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ package org.apache.spark.sql
 
 import java.math.BigDecimal
 
+import org.apache.spark.SparkException
 import org.apache.spark.sql.api.java._
+import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.encoders.OuterScopes
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.plans.logical.Project
 import org.apache.spark.sql.execution.{QueryExecution, SimpleMode}
 import org.apache.spark.sql.execution.columnar.InMemoryRelation
@@ -669,4 +671,30 @@ class UDFSuite extends QueryTest with SharedSparkSession {
     val df = Seq(Array(Some(TestData(50, "2")), None)).toDF("col")
     checkAnswer(df.select(myUdf(Column("col"))), Row(100) :: Nil)
   }
+
+  object MalformedClassObject extends Serializable {
+    class MalformedNonPrimitiveFunction extends (String => Int) with Serializable {
+      override def apply(v1: String): Int = v1.toInt / 0
+    }
+
+    class MalformedPrimitiveFunction extends (Int => Int) with Serializable {
+      override def apply(v1: Int): Int = v1 / 0
+    }
+  }
+
+  test("SPARK-32238: Use Utils.getSimpleName to avoid hitting Malformed class name") {
+    OuterScopes.addOuterScope(MalformedClassObject)
+    val f1 = new MalformedClassObject.MalformedNonPrimitiveFunction()
+    val f2 = new MalformedClassObject.MalformedPrimitiveFunction()
+
+    val e1 = intercept[SparkException] {
+      Seq("20").toDF("col").select(udf(f1).apply(Column("col"))).collect()
+    }
+    assert(e1.getMessage.contains("UDFSuite$MalformedClassObject$MalformedNonPrimitiveFunction"))
+
+    val e2 = intercept[SparkException] {
+      Seq(20).toDF("col").select(udf(f2).apply(Column("col"))).collect()
+    }
+    assert(e2.getMessage.contains("UDFSuite$MalformedClassObject$MalformedPrimitiveFunction"))
+  }
 }