diff --git a/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js b/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js
index 24af23b8a..389d06b00 100644
--- a/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js
+++ b/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js
@@ -53,6 +53,22 @@ var Duplex = stream.Duplex;
 var util = require('util');
 var version = require('../package.json').version;
 
+/**
+ * Create an Error object from a status object
+ * @private
+ * @param {grpc~StatusObject} status The status object
+ * @return {Error} The resulting Error
+ */
+function createStatusError(status) {
+  let statusName = _.invert(constants.status)[status.code];
+  let message = `${status.code} ${statusName}: ${status.details}`;
+  let error = new Error(message);
+  error.code = status.code;
+  error.metadata = status.metadata;
+  error.details = status.details;
+  return error;
+}
+
 /**
  * Initial response metadata sent by the server when it starts processing the
  * call
@@ -252,9 +268,7 @@ function _emitStatusIfDone() {
     if (status.code === constants.status.OK) {
       this.push(null);
     } else {
-      var error = new Error(status.details);
-      error.code = status.code;
-      error.metadata = status.metadata;
+      var error = createStatusError(status);
       this.emit('error', error);
     }
     this.emit('status', status);
@@ -551,9 +565,7 @@ Client.prototype.makeUnaryRequest = function(method, serialize, deserialize,
       }
     }
     if (status.code !== constants.status.OK) {
-      error = new Error(status.details);
-      error.code = status.code;
-      error.metadata = status.metadata;
+      error = new createStatusError(status);
       args.callback(error);
     } else {
       args.callback(null, deserialized);
@@ -634,9 +646,7 @@ Client.prototype.makeClientStreamRequest = function(method, serialize,
       }
     }
     if (status.code !== constants.status.OK) {
-      error = new Error(response.status.details);
-      error.code = status.code;
-      error.metadata = status.metadata;
+      error = createStatusError(status);
       args.callback(error);
     } else {
       args.callback(null, deserialized);
diff --git a/test/api/credentials_test.js b/test/api/credentials_test.js
index e05ec7648..171892675 100644
--- a/test/api/credentials_test.js
+++ b/test/api/credentials_test.js
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ describe('client credentials', function() {
                             client_options);
     client.unary({}, function(err, data) {
       assert(err);
-      assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+      assert.strictEqual(err.details,
                          'Getting metadata from plugin failed with error: ' +
                          'Authentication error');
       assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.UNAUTHENTICATED);
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ describe('client credentials', function() {
                             client_options);
     client.unary({}, function(err, data) {
       assert(err);
-      assert.strictEqual(err.message,
+      assert.strictEqual(err.details,
                          'Getting metadata from plugin failed with error: ' +
                          'Authentication failure');
       done();
diff --git a/test/api/surface_test.js b/test/api/surface_test.js
index 5fdcbcfb7..3bffaf8e3 100644
--- a/test/api/surface_test.js
+++ b/test/api/surface_test.js
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
       client.unary({error: true}, function(err, data) {
         assert(err);
         assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.UNKNOWN);
-        assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'Requested error');
+        assert.strictEqual(err.details, 'Requested error');
         done();
       });
     });
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
       var call = client.clientStream(function(err, data) {
         assert(err);
         assert.strictEqual(err.code, grpc.status.UNKNOWN);
-        assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'Requested error');
+        assert.strictEqual(err.details, 'Requested error');
         done();
       });
       call.write({error: false});
@@ -1001,7 +1001,7 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
       call.on('data', function(){});
       call.on('error', function(error) {
         assert.strictEqual(error.code, grpc.status.UNKNOWN);
-        assert.strictEqual(error.message, 'Requested error');
+        assert.strictEqual(error.details, 'Requested error');
         done();
       });
     });
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ describe('Other conditions', function() {
       call.on('data', function(){});
       call.on('error', function(error) {
         assert.strictEqual(error.code, grpc.status.UNKNOWN);
-        assert.strictEqual(error.message, 'Requested error');
+        assert.strictEqual(error.details, 'Requested error');
         done();
       });
     });
diff --git a/test/interop/interop_client.js b/test/interop/interop_client.js
index 73b84c38c..83890bca8 100644
--- a/test/interop/interop_client.js
+++ b/test/interop/interop_client.js
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ function statusCodeAndMessage(client, done) {
   client.unaryCall(arg, function(err, resp) {
     assert(err);
     assert.strictEqual(err.code, 2);
-    assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'test status message');
+    assert.strictEqual(err.details, 'test status message');
     done();
   });
   var duplex = client.fullDuplexCall();