diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0c69978..2ae7217 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ if ( request.is_done() ) {
     std::cout << "Error message: " << request.get_error() << std::endl;
 }
 
-// Error message: Couldn't resolve host name
+// Error message: Could not resolve host: unavailable.site.com
 ```
 
 ### Request Callbacks
diff --git a/sources/curly.hpp/curly.cpp b/sources/curly.hpp/curly.cpp
index 8484ff8..5a73c01 100644
--- a/sources/curly.hpp/curly.cpp
+++ b/sources/curly.hpp/curly.cpp
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ namespace curly_hpp
             curl_easy_setopt(curlh_.get(), CURLOPT_TCP_KEEPALIVE, 1l);
             curl_easy_setopt(curlh_.get(), CURLOPT_BUFFERSIZE, 65536l);
             curl_easy_setopt(curlh_.get(), CURLOPT_USE_SSL, CURLUSESSL_ALL);
+            curl_easy_setopt(curlh_.get(), CURLOPT_ERRORBUFFER, error_buffer_);
 
             curl_easy_setopt(curlh_.get(), CURLOPT_READDATA, this);
             curl_easy_setopt(curlh_.get(), CURLOPT_READFUNCTION, &s_upload_callback_);
@@ -488,24 +489,29 @@ namespace curly_hpp
                 return false;
             }
 
-            switch ( err ) {
-            case CURLE_OPERATION_TIMEDOUT:
-                status_ = req_status::timeout;
-                break;
-            case CURLE_READ_ERROR:
-            case CURLE_WRITE_ERROR:
-            case CURLE_ABORTED_BY_CALLBACK:
-                status_ = req_status::cancelled;
-                break;
-            default:
-                status_ = req_status::failed;
-                break;
-            }
-
             try {
-                error_ = curl_easy_strerror(err);
+                switch ( err ) {
+                case CURLE_OPERATION_TIMEDOUT:
+                    status_ = req_status::timeout;
+                    error_.assign("Operation timeout");
+                    break;
+                case CURLE_READ_ERROR:
+                case CURLE_WRITE_ERROR:
+                case CURLE_ABORTED_BY_CALLBACK:
+                    status_ = req_status::cancelled;
+                    error_.assign("Callback aborted");
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    status_ = req_status::failed;
+                    error_.assign(error_buffer_[0]
+                        ? error_buffer_
+                        : "Unknown error");
+                    break;
+                }
             } catch (...) {
-                // nothing
+                status_ = req_status::failed;
+                cvar_.notify_all();
+                return true;
             }
 
             cvar_.notify_all();
@@ -518,8 +524,14 @@ namespace curly_hpp
                 return false;
             }
 
-            status_ = req_status::cancelled;
-            error_.clear();
+            try {
+                status_ = req_status::cancelled;
+                error_.assign("Operation cancelled");
+            } catch (...) {
+                status_ = req_status::failed;
+                cvar_.notify_all();
+                return true;
+            }
 
             cvar_.notify_all();
             return true;
@@ -744,6 +756,7 @@ namespace curly_hpp
         float progress_{0.f};
         req_status status_{req_status::pending};
         std::string error_{"Unknown error"};
+        char error_buffer_[CURL_ERROR_SIZE]{'\0'};
     private:
         mutable std::mutex mutex_;
         mutable std::condition_variable cvar_;
diff --git a/untests/curly_tests.cpp b/untests/curly_tests.cpp
index e14c1b4..836d7d2 100644
--- a/untests/curly_tests.cpp
+++ b/untests/curly_tests.cpp
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ TEST_CASE("curly") {
             auto req = net::request_builder("https://httpbin.org/delay/1").send();
             REQUIRE(req.cancel());
             REQUIRE(req.status() == net::req_status::cancelled);
-            REQUIRE(req.get_error().empty());
+            REQUIRE_FALSE(req.get_error().empty());
         }
         {
             auto req = net::request_builder("https://httpbin.org/status/200").send();
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ TEST_CASE("curly") {
                     ++call_once;
                     REQUIRE_FALSE(request.is_done());
                     REQUIRE(request.status() == net::req_status::cancelled);
-                    REQUIRE(request.get_error().empty());
+                    REQUIRE_FALSE(request.get_error().empty());
                 }).send();
             REQUIRE(req.cancel());
             REQUIRE(req.wait_callback() == net::req_status::cancelled);
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ TEST_CASE("curly_examples") {
             std::cout << "Error message: " << request.get_error() << std::endl;
         }
 
-        // Error message: Couldn't resolve host name
+        // Error message: Could not resolve host: unavailable.site.com
     }
 
     SECTION("Request Callbacks") {