diff --git a/src/detectorTowerController.cpp b/src/detectorTowerController.cpp
index fc96c61..3909e11 100644
--- a/src/detectorTowerController.cpp
+++ b/src/detectorTowerController.cpp
@@ -838,7 +838,8 @@ asynStatus detectorTowerController::pollDetectorAxes(
     getStringParam(angleAxisNo, motorMessageText(), sizeof(waitingErrorMessage),
                    waitingErrorMessage);
 
-    if (error != 0 || waitingErrorMessage[0] != '\0') {
+    if (error != 0 || errorMessage[0] != '\0' ||
+        waitingErrorMessage[0] != '\0') {
 
         plStatus = angleAxis->setIntegerParam(motorStatusProblem(), true);
         if (plStatus != asynSuccess) {