diff --git a/client/rpc_client.go b/client/rpc_client.go
index d23fbf63..17c3e34f 100644
--- a/client/rpc_client.go
+++ b/client/rpc_client.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func (r *rpcClient) call(ctx context.Context, address string, req Request, resp
 	var grr error
 	c, err := r.pool.getConn(address, r.opts.Transport, transport.WithTimeout(opts.DialTimeout))
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", fmt.Sprintf("Error sending request: %v", err))
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", fmt.Sprintf("connection error: %v", err))
 	}
 	defer func() {
 		// defer execution of release
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func (r *rpcClient) stream(ctx context.Context, address string, req Request, opt
 
 	c, err := r.opts.Transport.Dial(address, transport.WithStream(), transport.WithTimeout(opts.DialTimeout))
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", fmt.Sprintf("Error sending request: %v", err))
+		return nil, errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", fmt.Sprintf("connection error: %v", err))
 	}
 
 	stream := &rpcStream{
diff --git a/client/rpc_codec.go b/client/rpc_codec.go
index 33e3428c..820cc7e0 100644
--- a/client/rpc_codec.go
+++ b/client/rpc_codec.go
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ package client
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"errors"
+	errs "errors"
 
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec/jsonrpc"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec/protorpc"
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/errors"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
 )
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ func (e serverError) Error() string {
 
 // errShutdown holds the specific error for closing/closed connections
 var (
-	errShutdown = errors.New("connection is shut down")
+	errShutdown = errs.New("connection is shut down")
 )
 
 type rpcPlusCodec struct {
@@ -112,19 +113,22 @@ func (c *rpcPlusCodec) WriteRequest(req *request, body interface{}) error {
 		Header: map[string]string{},
 	}
 	if err := c.codec.Write(m, body); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client.codec", err.Error())
 	}
 	c.req.Body = c.buf.wbuf.Bytes()
 	for k, v := range m.Header {
 		c.req.Header[k] = v
 	}
-	return c.client.Send(c.req)
+	if err := c.client.Send(c.req); err != nil {
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client.transport", err.Error())
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *rpcPlusCodec) ReadResponseHeader(r *response) error {
 	var m transport.Message
 	if err := c.client.Recv(&m); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client.transport", err.Error())
 	}
 	c.buf.rbuf.Reset()
 	c.buf.rbuf.Write(m.Body)
@@ -133,15 +137,24 @@ func (c *rpcPlusCodec) ReadResponseHeader(r *response) error {
 	r.ServiceMethod = me.Method
 	r.Seq = me.Id
 	r.Error = me.Error
-	return err
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client.codec", err.Error())
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *rpcPlusCodec) ReadResponseBody(b interface{}) error {
-	return c.codec.ReadBody(b)
+	if err := c.codec.ReadBody(b); err != nil {
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client.codec", err.Error())
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *rpcPlusCodec) Close() error {
 	c.buf.Close()
 	c.codec.Close()
-	return c.client.Close()
+	if err := c.client.Close(); err != nil {
+		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client.transport", err.Error())
+	}
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/client/rpc_stream.go b/client/rpc_stream.go
index 2d3b3ddc..8456e5a4 100644
--- a/client/rpc_stream.go
+++ b/client/rpc_stream.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package client
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -91,11 +90,11 @@ func (r *rpcStream) Recv(msg interface{}) error {
 			r.err = io.EOF
 		}
 		if err := r.codec.ReadResponseBody(nil); err != nil {
-			r.err = errors.New("reading error payload: " + err.Error())
+			r.err = err
 		}
 	default:
 		if err := r.codec.ReadResponseBody(msg); err != nil {
-			r.err = errors.New("reading body " + err.Error())
+			r.err = err
 		}
 	}