diff --git a/src/curve_client.cpp b/src/curve_client.cpp
index cdaefec1..1dd1dd61 100644
--- a/src/curve_client.cpp
+++ b/src/curve_client.cpp
@@ -82,30 +82,31 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::next_handshake_command (msg_t *msg_)
 
 int zmq::curve_client_t::process_handshake_command (msg_t *msg_)
 {
-    int rc = 0;
+    const unsigned char *msg_data =
+        static_cast <unsigned char *> (msg_->data ());
+    const size_t msg_size = msg_->size ();
 
-    switch (state) {
-        case expect_welcome:
-            rc = process_welcome (msg_);
-            if (rc == 0)
-                state = send_initiate;
-            break;
-        case expect_ready:
-            rc = process_ready (msg_);
-            if (rc == 0)
-                state = connected;
-            break;
-        default:
-            errno = EPROTO;
-            rc = -1;
-            break;
+    int rc = 0;
+    if (msg_size >= 8 && !memcmp (msg_data, "\7WELCOME", 8))
+        rc = process_welcome (msg_data, msg_size);
+    else
+    if (msg_size >= 6 && !memcmp (msg_data, "\5READY", 6))
+        rc = process_ready (msg_data, msg_size);
+    else
+    if (msg_size >= 6 && !memcmp (msg_data, "\5ERROR", 6))
+        rc = process_error (msg_data, msg_size);
+    else {
+        errno = EPROTO;
+        rc = -1;
     }
+
     if (rc == 0) {
         rc = msg_->close ();
         errno_assert (rc == 0);
         rc = msg_->init ();
         errno_assert (rc == 0);
     }
+
     return rc;
 }
 
@@ -218,7 +219,13 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::decode (msg_t *msg_)
 
 zmq::mechanism_t::status_t zmq::curve_client_t::status () const
 {
-    return state == connected? mechanism_t::ready: mechanism_t::handshaking;
+    if (state == connected)
+        return mechanism_t::ready;
+    else
+    if (state == error_received)
+        return mechanism_t::error;
+    else
+        return mechanism_t::handshaking;
 }
 
 int zmq::curve_client_t::produce_hello (msg_t *msg_)
@@ -260,15 +267,10 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::produce_hello (msg_t *msg_)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int zmq::curve_client_t::process_welcome (msg_t *msg_)
+int zmq::curve_client_t::process_welcome (
+        const uint8_t *msg_data, size_t msg_size)
 {
-    if (msg_->size () != 168) {
-        errno = EPROTO;
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    const uint8_t * welcome = static_cast <uint8_t *> (msg_->data ());
-    if (memcmp (welcome, "\x07WELCOME", 8)) {
+    if (msg_size != 168) {
         errno = EPROTO;
         return -1;
     }
@@ -279,10 +281,10 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::process_welcome (msg_t *msg_)
 
     //  Open Box [S' + cookie](C'->S)
     memset (welcome_box, 0, crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES);
-    memcpy (welcome_box + crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES, welcome + 24, 144);
+    memcpy (welcome_box + crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES, msg_data + 24, 144);
 
     memcpy (welcome_nonce, "WELCOME-", 8);
-    memcpy (welcome_nonce + 8, welcome + 8, 16);
+    memcpy (welcome_nonce + 8, msg_data + 8, 16);
 
     int rc = crypto_box_open (welcome_plaintext, welcome_box,
                               sizeof welcome_box,
@@ -299,6 +301,8 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::process_welcome (msg_t *msg_)
     rc = crypto_box_beforenm (cn_precom, cn_server, cn_secret);
     zmq_assert (rc == 0);
 
+    state = send_initiate;
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -375,20 +379,15 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::produce_initiate (msg_t *msg_)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int zmq::curve_client_t::process_ready (msg_t *msg_)
+int zmq::curve_client_t::process_ready (
+        const uint8_t *msg_data, size_t msg_size)
 {
-    if (msg_->size () < 30) {
+    if (msg_size < 30) {
         errno = EPROTO;
         return -1;
     }
 
-    const uint8_t *ready = static_cast <uint8_t *> (msg_->data ());
-    if (memcmp (ready, "\x05READY", 6)) {
-        errno = EPROTO;
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    const size_t clen = (msg_->size () - 14) + crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES;
+    const size_t clen = (msg_size - 14) + crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES;
 
     uint8_t ready_nonce [crypto_box_NONCEBYTES];
     uint8_t ready_plaintext [crypto_box_ZEROBYTES + 256];
@@ -396,10 +395,10 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::process_ready (msg_t *msg_)
 
     memset (ready_box, 0, crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES);
     memcpy (ready_box + crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES,
-            ready + 14, clen - crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES);
+            msg_data + 14, clen - crypto_box_BOXZEROBYTES);
 
     memcpy (ready_nonce, "CurveZMQREADY---", 16);
-    memcpy (ready_nonce + 16, ready + 6, 8);
+    memcpy (ready_nonce + 16, msg_data + 6, 8);
 
     int rc = crypto_box_open_afternm (ready_plaintext, ready_box,
                                       clen, ready_nonce, cn_precom);
@@ -411,7 +410,30 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::process_ready (msg_t *msg_)
 
     rc = parse_metadata (ready_plaintext + crypto_box_ZEROBYTES,
                          clen - crypto_box_ZEROBYTES);
+    if (rc == 0)
+        state = connected;
+
     return rc;
 }
 
+int zmq::curve_client_t::process_error (
+        const uint8_t *msg_data, size_t msg_size)
+{
+    if (state != expect_welcome && state != expect_ready) {
+        errno = EPROTO;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    if (msg_size < 7) {
+        errno = EPROTO;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    const size_t error_reason_len = static_cast <size_t> (msg_data [6]);
+    if (error_reason_len > msg_size - 7) {
+        errno = EPROTO;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    state = error_received;
+    return 0;
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/src/curve_client.hpp b/src/curve_client.hpp
index 45f47026..14769fda 100644
--- a/src/curve_client.hpp
+++ b/src/curve_client.hpp
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ namespace zmq
             expect_welcome,
             send_initiate,
             expect_ready,
+            error_received,
             connected
         };
 
@@ -103,9 +104,10 @@ namespace zmq
         uint64_t cn_nonce;
 
         int produce_hello (msg_t *msg_);
-        int process_welcome (msg_t *msg_);
+        int process_welcome (const uint8_t *cmd_data, size_t data_size);
         int produce_initiate (msg_t *msg_);
-        int process_ready (msg_t *msg_);
+        int process_ready (const uint8_t *cmd_data, size_t data_size);
+        int process_error (const uint8_t *cmd_data, size_t data_size);
         mutex_t sync;
     };