diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index da229421..659e5468 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -73,11 +73,14 @@ p.connect = function() {
 
   con.on('readyForQuery', function() {
     self.readyForQuery = true;
+    this.activeQuery = null;
     self.pulseQueryQueue();
   });
 
   con.on('error', function(error) {
-    self.emit('error', error);
+    if(!self.activeQuery) {
+      self.emit('error', error);
+    }
   });
 };
 
@@ -87,6 +90,7 @@ p.pulseQueryQueue = function() {
     if(this.queryQueue.length > 0) {
       this.readyForQuery = false;
       var query = this.queryQueue.shift();
+      this.activeQuery = query;
       query.submit(this.connection);
     } else {
       this.emit('drain');
diff --git a/lib/query.js b/lib/query.js
index 20a2c075..d68f3229 100644
--- a/lib/query.js
+++ b/lib/query.js
@@ -49,14 +49,30 @@ p.submit = function(connection) {
     }
     self.emit('row', result);
   };
-  connection.on('rowDescription', handleRowDescription);
-  connection.on('dataRow', handleDatarow);
-  connection.once('readyForQuery', function() {
+
+  var onError = function(err) {
     //remove all listeners
+    connection.removeListener('rowDescription', handleDatarow);
+    connection.removeListener('dataRow', handleDatarow);
+    connection.removeListener('error', onError);
+    connection.removeListener('readyForQuery', onReadyForQuery);
+    self.emit('error', err);
+    self.emit('end');
+  };
+
+  var onReadyForQuery = function() {
+    //remove all listeners 
     connection.removeListener('rowDescription', handleRowDescription);
     connection.removeListener('dataRow', handleDatarow);
+    connection.removeListener('readyForQuery', onReadyForQuery);
+    connection.removeListener('error', onError);
     self.emit('end');
-  });
+  };
+
+  connection.on('rowDescription', handleRowDescription);
+  connection.on('dataRow', handleDatarow);
+  connection.on('readyForQuery', onReadyForQuery);
+  connection.on('error', onError);
 };
 
 p.hasBeenParsed = function(connection) {
@@ -104,10 +120,19 @@ p.prepare = function(connection) {
 
   //TODO support EmptyQueryResponse, ErrorResponse, and PortalSuspended
   var onCommandComplete =  function() {
+    connection.removeListener('error', onError);
+    connection.removeListener('commandComplete', onCommandComplete);
     connection.sync();
   };
 
-  connection.once('commandComplete', onCommandComplete);
+  var onError = function() {
+    connection.removeListener('error', onError);
+    connection.removeListener('commandComplete', onCommandComplete);
+    connection.sync();
+  };
+
+  connection.on('commandComplete', onCommandComplete);
+  connection.on('error', onError);
 };
 
 var dateParser = function(isoDate) {
diff --git a/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js b/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js
index b9e93b8b..c9211c23 100644
--- a/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js
+++ b/test/integration/client/error-handling-tests.js
@@ -1,10 +1,82 @@
 var helper = require(__dirname + '/test-helper');
 
-test('error handling', function(){
+var createErorrClient = function() {
   var client = helper.client();
-  client.query("select omfg from yodas_soda where pixistix = 'zoiks!!!'");
-  assert.emits(client, 'error', function(error) {
-    assert.equal(error.severity, "ERROR");
-    client.end();
+  client.on('error', function(err) {
+    assert.ok(false, "client should not throw query error: " + sys.inspect(err));
+  })
+  client.on('drain', client.end.bind(client));
+  return client;
+};
+
+test('error handling', function(){
+
+  test('within a simple query', function() {
+
+    var client = createErorrClient();
+
+    var query = client.query("select omfg from yodas_soda where pixistix = 'zoiks!!!'");
+
+    assert.emits(query, 'error', function(error) {
+      assert.equal(error.severity, "ERROR");
+    });
+
   });
+
+  test('within a prepared statement', function() {
+
+    var client = createErorrClient();
+
+    var q = client.query("CREATE TEMP TABLE boom(age integer); INSERT INTO boom (age) VALUES (28);");
+
+    test("when query is parsing", function() {
+      //this query wont parse since there ain't no table named bang
+      
+      var ensureFuture = function(testClient) {
+          test("client can issue more queries successfully", function() {
+            var goodQuery = testClient.query("select age from boom");
+            assert.emits(goodQuery, 'row', function(row) {
+              assert.equal(row.age, 28);
+            });
+          });
+      };
+
+      var query = client.query({
+        text: "select * from bang where name = $1",
+        values: ['0']
+      });
+
+      test("query emits the error", function() {
+        assert.emits(query, 'error', function(err) {
+          ensureFuture(client);
+        });
+      })
+
+      test("when a query is binding", function() {
+        var query = client.query({
+          text: 'select * from boom where age = $1',
+          values: ['asldkfjasdf']
+        });
+
+        test("query emits the error", function() {
+          assert.emits(query, 'error', function(err) {
+            assert.equal(err.severity, "ERROR");
+            ensureFuture(client);
+          });
+        });
+
+        //TODO how to test for errors during execution?
+      });
+    })
+  });
+
+  test('non-query error', function() {
+
+    var client = new Client({
+      user:'asldkfjsadlfkj'
+    });
+    assert.emits(client, 'error');
+    client.connect();
+  });
+
 });