diff --git a/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js b/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js
index 24af23b8..519b8d79 100644
--- a/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js
+++ b/packages/grpc-native-core/src/client.js
@@ -53,6 +53,21 @@ 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} ${status.name}: ${status.details}`;
+  let error = new Error(message);
+  error.code = status.code;
+  error.details = status.details;
+  return error;
+}
+
 /**
  * Initial response metadata sent by the server when it starts processing the
  * call
@@ -252,9 +267,7 @@ 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 +564,7 @@ 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 +645,7 @@ 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);