diff --git a/lib/connection.js b/lib/connection.js
index 811dc7b..4266bbc 100644
--- a/lib/connection.js
+++ b/lib/connection.js
@@ -379,16 +379,30 @@ p.parseD = function(msg) {
 };
 
 //parses error
-p.parseE = function(msg) {
+p.parseE = function(input) {
   var fields = {};
+  var msg, item;
   var fieldType = this.readString(1);
   while(fieldType != '\0') {
     fields[fieldType] = this.parseCString();
     fieldType = this.readString(1);
   }
+  if (input.name === 'error') {
+    // the msg is an Error instance
+    msg = new Error(fields.M);
+    for (item in input) {
+      // copy input properties to the error
+      if (input.hasOwnProperty(item)) {
+        msg[item] = input[item];
+      }
+    }
+  } else {
+    // the msg is an object literal
+    msg = input;
+    msg.message = fields.M;
+  }
   msg.severity = fields.S;
   msg.code = fields.C;
-  msg.message = fields.M;
   msg.detail = fields.D;
   msg.hint = fields.H;
   msg.position = fields.P;
diff --git a/src/binding.cc b/src/binding.cc
index 0123021..3ec55e7 100644
--- a/src/binding.cc
+++ b/src/binding.cc
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ static Persistent<String> row_symbol;
 static Persistent<String> notice_symbol;
 static Persistent<String> severity_symbol;
 static Persistent<String> code_symbol;
-static Persistent<String> message_symbol;
 static Persistent<String> detail_symbol;
 static Persistent<String> hint_symbol;
 static Persistent<String> position_symbol;
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ public:
     row_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("_row");
     severity_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("severity");
     code_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("code");
-    message_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("message");
     detail_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("detail");
     hint_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("hint");
     position_symbol = NODE_PSYMBOL("position");
@@ -473,10 +471,12 @@ protected:
   void HandleErrorResult(const PGresult* result)
   {
     HandleScope scope;
-    Local<Object> msg = Object::New();
+    //instantiate the return object as an Error with the summary Postgres message
+    Local<Object> msg = Local<Object>::Cast(Exception::Error(String::New(PQresultErrorField(result, PG_DIAG_MESSAGE_PRIMARY))));
+
+    //add the other information returned by Postgres to the error object
     AttachErrorField(result, msg, severity_symbol, PG_DIAG_SEVERITY);
     AttachErrorField(result, msg, code_symbol, PG_DIAG_SQLSTATE);
-    AttachErrorField(result, msg, message_symbol, PG_DIAG_MESSAGE_PRIMARY);
     AttachErrorField(result, msg, detail_symbol, PG_DIAG_MESSAGE_DETAIL);
     AttachErrorField(result, msg, hint_symbol, PG_DIAG_MESSAGE_HINT);
     AttachErrorField(result, msg, position_symbol, PG_DIAG_STATEMENT_POSITION);
diff --git a/test/test-helper.js b/test/test-helper.js
index 45a87ee..9adb865 100644
--- a/test/test-helper.js
+++ b/test/test-helper.js
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ assert.emits = function(item, eventName, callback, message) {
   },2000);
 
   item.once(eventName, function() {
+    if (eventName === 'error') {
+      // belt and braces test to ensure all error events return an error
+      assert.ok(arguments[0] instanceof Error,
+                "Expected error events to throw instances of Error but found: " +  sys.inspect(arguments[0]));
+    }
     called = true;
     clearTimeout(id);
     assert.ok(true);
@@ -105,6 +110,7 @@ assert.throws = function(offender) {
   try {
     offender();
   } catch (e) {
+    assert.ok(e instanceof Error, "Expected " + offender + " to throw instances of Error");
     return;
   }
   assert.ok(false, "Expected " + offender + " to throw exception");
@@ -117,12 +123,14 @@ assert.length = function(actual, expectedLength) {
 var expect = function(callback, timeout) {
   var executed = false;
   var id = setTimeout(function() {
-    assert.ok(executed, "Expected execution of funtion to be fired");
+    assert.ok(executed, "Expected execution of function to be fired");
   }, timeout || 2000)
 
   return function(err, queryResult) {
     clearTimeout(id);
-    assert.ok(true);
+    if (err) {
+      assert.ok(err instanceof Error, "Expected errors to be instances of Error: " + sys.inspect(err));
+    }
     callback.apply(this, arguments)
   }
 }