diff --git a/secop/errors.py b/secop/errors.py
index 3cbbda3..6d652a1 100644
--- a/secop/errors.py
+++ b/secop/errors.py
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ def secop_error(exception):
     return InternalError(repr(exception))
 
 
+def fmt_error(exception):
+    if isinstance(exception, SECoPError):
+        return str(exception)
+    return repr(exception)
+
+
 EXCEPTIONS = dict(
     NoSuchModule=NoSuchModuleError,
     NoSuchParameter=NoSuchParameterError,
diff --git a/secop/protocol/dispatcher.py b/secop/protocol/dispatcher.py
index 3c6e903..9f6c022 100644
--- a/secop/protocol/dispatcher.py
+++ b/secop/protocol/dispatcher.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ from collections import OrderedDict
 from time import time as currenttime
 
 from secop.errors import BadValueError, NoSuchCommandError, NoSuchModuleError, \
-    NoSuchParameterError, ProtocolError, ReadOnlyError, SECoPServerError
+    NoSuchParameterError, ProtocolError, ReadOnlyError, SECoPServerError, fmt_error
 from secop.params import Parameter
 from secop.protocol.messages import COMMANDREPLY, DESCRIPTIONREPLY, \
     DISABLEEVENTSREPLY, ENABLEEVENTSREPLY, ERRORPREFIX, EVENTREPLY, \
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ from secop.protocol.messages import COMMANDREPLY, DESCRIPTIONREPLY, \
 def make_update(modulename, pobj):
     if pobj.readerror:
         return (ERRORPREFIX + EVENTREPLY, '%s:%s' % (modulename, pobj.export),
-               # error-report !
-               [pobj.readerror.name, repr(pobj.readerror), dict(t=pobj.timestamp)])
+                # error-report !
+                [pobj.readerror.name, fmt_error(pobj.readerror), dict(t=pobj.timestamp)])
     return (EVENTREPLY, '%s:%s' % (modulename, pobj.export),
                [pobj.export_value(), dict(t=pobj.timestamp)])