diff --git a/lib/Elastica/Response.php b/lib/Elastica/Response.php
index 7e99b07a83..50faa6a8ab 100644
--- a/lib/Elastica/Response.php
+++ b/lib/Elastica/Response.php
@@ -96,13 +96,18 @@ public function getError()
             return $error;
         }
 
+        $root_error = $error;
         if (isset($error['root_cause'][0])) {
-            $error = $error['root_cause'][0];
+            $root_error = $error['root_cause'][0];
         }
 
-        $message = $error['reason'];
-        if (isset($error['index'])) {
-            $message .= ' [index: '.$error['index'].']';
+        $message = $root_error['reason'];
+        if (isset($root_error['index'])) {
+            $message .= ' [index: '.$root_error['index'].']';
+        }
+
+        if (isset($error['reason'])) {
+            $message .= ' [reason: '.$error['reason'].']';
         }
 
         return $message;