diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index c653c814b75..5635910daf0 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -742,7 +742,8 @@ function afterWrite(status, handle, req, err) {
   }
 
   if (status < 0) {
-    var ex = errnoException(status, 'write', err);
+    err = util.format('%s %s:%s', err || '', req.address, req.port);
+    var ex = errnoException(status, 'write', err, req);
     debug('write failure', ex);
     self._destroy(ex, req.cb);
     return;
@@ -804,28 +805,56 @@ function connect(self, address, port, addressType, localAddress, localPort) {
     err = bind(localAddress, localPort);
 
     if (err) {
-      self._destroy(errnoException(err, 'bind'));
+      var additions = {
+        address: address
+      };
+      var details;
+      if (port) {
+        details = util.format('%s:%s', address, port);
+        additions.port = port;
+      } else {
+        details = address;
+      }
+      var ex = errnoException(err, 'bind', details, additions);
+      self._destroy(ex);
       return;
     }
   }
 
-  var req = { oncomplete: afterConnect };
+  var req = {
+    oncomplete: afterConnect,
+    port: undefined,
+    address: undefined,
+    localAddress: undefined,
+    localPort: undefined
+  };
   if (addressType === 6 || addressType === 4) {
     port = port | 0;
     if (port <= 0 || port > 65535)
       throw new RangeError('Port should be > 0 and < 65536');
 
+    req.port = port;
+    req.address = address;
     if (addressType === 6) {
       err = self._handle.connect6(req, address, port);
     } else if (addressType === 4) {
       err = self._handle.connect(req, address, port);
     }
   } else {
+    req.address = address;
     err = self._handle.connect(req, address, afterConnect);
   }
 
+  self._getsockname();
+  if (self._sockname) {
+    req.localAddress = self._sockname.address;
+    req.localPort = self._sockname.port;
+  }
   if (err) {
-    self._destroy(errnoException(err, 'connect'));
+    var details = port ?
+                  util.format('%s:%s', address, port) :
+                  address;
+    self._destroy(errnoException(err, 'connect', details, req));
   }
 }
 
@@ -908,7 +937,15 @@ Socket.prototype.connect = function(options, cb) {
         // There are no event listeners registered yet so defer the
         // error event to the next tick.
         process.nextTick(function() {
-          self.emit('error', err);
+          // The errno may not be recognized by libuv
+          var ex = util._extend(err, options);
+          var message = util.format('%s %s %s:%s',
+                                    err.syscall,
+                                    err.errno,
+                                    options.host,
+                                    options.port);
+          ex.message = message;
+          self.emit('error', ex);
           self._destroy();
         });
       } else {
@@ -975,7 +1012,17 @@ function afterConnect(status, handle, req, readable, writable) {
 
   } else {
     self._connecting = false;
-    self._destroy(errnoException(status, 'connect'));
+    var details = req.port ?
+                  util.format('%s:%s', req.address, req.port) :
+                  req.address;
+
+    if (req.localAddress && req.localPort) {
+      details = util.format('%s - Local (%s:%s)',
+                            details,
+                            req.localAddress,
+                            req.localPort);
+    }
+    self._destroy(errnoException(status, 'connect', details, req));
   }
 }
 
@@ -1103,7 +1150,21 @@ Server.prototype._listen2 = function(address, port, addressType, backlog, fd) {
     debug('_listen2: create a handle');
     var rval = createServerHandle(address, port, addressType, fd);
     if (util.isNumber(rval)) {
-      var error = errnoException(rval, 'listen');
+      var details, additions;
+      if (port > 0) {
+        details = util.format('%s:%s', address, port);
+        additions = {
+          address: address,
+          port: port
+        };
+      } else {
+        details = address;
+        additions = {
+          address: address
+        };
+      }
+
+      var error = errnoException(rval, 'listen', details, additions);
       process.nextTick(function() {
         self.emit('error', error);
       });
@@ -1120,7 +1181,20 @@ Server.prototype._listen2 = function(address, port, addressType, backlog, fd) {
   var err = _listen(self._handle, backlog);
 
   if (err) {
-    var ex = errnoException(err, 'listen');
+    var details, additions;
+    if (port > 0) {
+      details = util.format('%s:%s', address, port);
+      additions = {
+        address: address,
+        port: port
+      };
+    } else {
+      details = address;
+      additions = {
+        address: address
+      };
+    }
+    var ex = errnoException(err, 'listen', details, additions);
     self._handle.close();
     self._handle = null;
     process.nextTick(function() {
@@ -1166,8 +1240,23 @@ function listen(self, address, port, addressType, backlog, fd) {
         err = uv.UV_EADDRINUSE;
     }
 
-    if (err)
-      return self.emit('error', errnoException(err, 'bind'));
+    if (err) {
+      var details, additions;
+      if (port > 0) {
+        details = util.format('%s:%s', address, port);
+        additions = {
+          address: address,
+          port: port
+        };
+      } else {
+        details = address;
+        additions = {
+          address: address
+        };
+      }
+      var ex = errnoException(err, 'bind', details, additions);
+      return self.emit('error', ex);
+    }
 
     self._handle = handle;
     self._listen2(address, port, addressType, backlog, fd);
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 2de944586fe..e1a23237c6b 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ exports.pump = exports.deprecate(function(readStream, writeStream, callback) {
 
 
 var uv;
-exports._errnoException = function(err, syscall, original) {
+exports._errnoException = function(err, syscall, original, additions) {
   if (isUndefined(uv)) uv = process.binding('uv');
   var errname = uv.errname(err);
   var message = syscall + ' ' + errname;
@@ -743,5 +743,15 @@ exports._errnoException = function(err, syscall, original) {
   e.code = errname;
   e.errno = errname;
   e.syscall = syscall;
+  if (additions && isObject(additions)) {
+    var keys = Object.keys(additions);
+    var len = keys.length;
+    for (var i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+      if (!isNullOrUndefined(additions[keys[i]]) &&
+          isPrimitive(additions[keys[i]])) {
+        e[keys[i]] = additions[keys[i]];
+      }
+    }
+  }
   return e;
 };
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-listen-path.js b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-listen-path.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..32f949621a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-listen-path.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var assert = require('assert');
+var net = require('net');
+var gotError = false;
+var fp = '/blah/fadfa';
+var server = net.createServer(function(socket) {
+});
+server.listen(fp, function() {
+  assert(false);
+});
+server.on('error', function(e) {
+  console.error('error', e);
+  gotError = true;
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert(gotError);
+});
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-listen.js b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-listen.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..268ea6efc30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-listen.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var assert = require('assert');
+var net = require('net');
+var gotError = false;
+
+var server = net.createServer(function(socket) {
+});
+server.listen(1, '1.1.1.1', function() { // EACCESS or EADDRNOTAVAIL
+  assert(false);
+});
+server.on('error', function(e) {
+  console.error('error', e);
+  gotError = true;
+  assert.equal('1.1.1.1', e.address);
+  assert.equal(1, e.port);
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert(gotError);
+});
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-path.js b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-path.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..45993fd6125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-path.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var net = require('net');
+var assert = require('assert');
+var fp = '/tmp/fadagagsdfgsdf';
+var c = net.connect(fp);
+
+c.on('connect', function() {
+  console.error('connected?!');
+  assert.ok(false);
+});
+
+var gotError = false;
+c.on('error', function(e) {
+  console.error('couldn\'t connect.', e);
+  gotError = true;
+  assert.equal('ENOENT', e.code);
+  assert.equal(fp, e.address);
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert.ok(gotError);
+});
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-port-hostname.js b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-port-hostname.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..75f23767c1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-port-hostname.js
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var net = require('net');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+var c = net.createConnection(common.PORT, 'blah');
+
+c.on('connect', function() {
+  console.error('connected?!');
+  assert.ok(false);
+});
+
+var gotError = false;
+c.on('error', function(e) {
+  console.error('couldn\'t connect.', e);
+  gotError = true;
+  assert.equal('ENOTFOUND', e.code);
+  assert.equal(common.PORT, e.port);
+  assert.equal('blah', e.hostname);
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert.ok(gotError);
+});
diff --git a/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dabe01e9375
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/simple/test-net-better-error-messages-port.js
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Copyright Joyent, Inc. and other Node contributors.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+// copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+// "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+// without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+// distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit
+// persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the
+// following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included
+// in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+// OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+// MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN
+// NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
+// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE
+// USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+
+var common = require('../common');
+var net = require('net');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+var c = net.createConnection(common.PORT);
+
+c.on('connect', function() {
+  console.error('connected?!');
+  assert.ok(false);
+});
+
+var gotError = false;
+c.on('error', function(e) {
+  console.error('couldn\'t connect.', e);
+  gotError = true;
+  assert.equal('ECONNREFUSED', e.code);
+  assert.equal(common.PORT, e.port);
+  assert.equal('127.0.0.1', e.address);
+});
+
+process.on('exit', function() {
+  assert.ok(gotError);
+});