diff --git a/Foundation/include/Poco/Error.h b/Foundation/include/Poco/Error.h
index 1270fc835..1f96556b8 100644
--- a/Foundation/include/Poco/Error.h
+++ b/Foundation/include/Poco/Error.h
@@ -33,9 +33,15 @@ class Foundation_API Error
 public:
 
 #ifdef POCO_OS_FAMILY_WINDOWS
+	static DWORD last();
+		/// Utility function returning the last error.
+
 	static std::string getMessage(DWORD errorCode);
 		/// Utility function translating numeric error code to string.
 #else
+	static int last();
+		/// Utility function returning the last error.
+
 	static std::string getMessage(int errorCode);
 		/// Utility function translating numeric error code to string.
 #endif
diff --git a/Foundation/src/Error.cpp b/Foundation/src/Error.cpp
index a65965dff..a37375be1 100644
--- a/Foundation/src/Error.cpp
+++ b/Foundation/src/Error.cpp
@@ -19,12 +19,18 @@
 #include "Poco/Error.h"
 #include <string>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 
 namespace Poco {
 
 
 #ifdef POCO_OS_FAMILY_WINDOWS
+	DWORD Error::last()
+	{
+		return GetLastError();
+	}
+
 
 	std::string Error::getMessage(DWORD errorCode)
 	{
@@ -44,6 +50,11 @@ namespace Poco {
 	}
 
 #else
+	int Error::last()
+	{
+		return errno;
+	}
+
 
 	std::string Error::getMessage(int errorCode)
 	{