diff --git a/src/matrix/error.js b/src/matrix/error.js
index 888b1256..cf6db9c5 100644
--- a/src/matrix/error.js
+++ b/src/matrix/error.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 export class HomeServerError extends Error {
-    constructor(method, url, body) {
-        super(`${body.error} on ${method} ${url}`);
-        this.errcode = body.errcode;
-        this.retry_after_ms = body.retry_after_ms;
+    constructor(method, url, body, status) {
+        super(`${body ? body.error : status} on ${method} ${url}`);
+        this.errcode = body ? body.errcode : null;
+        this.retry_after_ms = body ? body.retry_after_ms : 0;
     }
 
     get isFatal() {
diff --git a/src/matrix/hs-api.js b/src/matrix/hs-api.js
index d4f9e1f7..ec8adad0 100644
--- a/src/matrix/hs-api.js
+++ b/src/matrix/hs-api.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class RequestWrapper {
             } else {
                 switch (response.status) {
                     default:
-                        throw new HomeServerError(method, url, response.body);
+                        throw new HomeServerError(method, url, response.body, response.status);
                 }
             }
         });