diff --git a/websocketpp/error.hpp b/websocketpp/error.hpp
index 45a345849f..df6badfc0d 100644
--- a/websocketpp/error.hpp
+++ b/websocketpp/error.hpp
@@ -216,21 +216,30 @@ namespace websocketpp {
 
 class exception : public std::exception {
 public:
-    exception(std::string const & msg, error::value p_code = error::general)
-      : m_msg(msg), m_code(p_code) {}
+    exception(std::string const & msg, lib::error_code ec = make_error_code(error::general))
+      : m_msg(msg), m_code(ec)
+    {}
+
+    explicit exception(lib::error_code ec)
+      : m_code(ec)
+    {}
 
     ~exception() throw() {}
 
     virtual char const * what() const throw() {
-        return m_msg.c_str();
+        if (m_msg.empty()) {
+            return m_code.message().c_str();
+        } else {
+            return m_msg.c_str();
+        }
     }
 
-    error::value code() const throw() {
+    lib::error_code code() const throw() {
         return m_code;
     }
 
     std::string m_msg;
-    error::value m_code;
+    lib::error_code m_code;
 };
 
 } // namespace websocketpp