diff --git a/src/jcl/jabber/component.py b/src/jcl/jabber/component.py
index 43fe59a..1dc1784 100644
--- a/src/jcl/jabber/component.py
+++ b/src/jcl/jabber/component.py
@@ -573,11 +573,11 @@ class AccountManager(object):
         return result
 
     def send_error_from_account(self, _account, exception):
-        """Send an error message only one time until _account.in_error
-        has been reset to False"""
+        """Send an error message only one time until _account.error
+        has been reset to None"""
         result = []
-        if _account.in_error == False:
-            _account.in_error = True
+        if _account.error == None:
+            _account.error = str(exception)
             result.append(Message(from_jid=_account.jid,
                                   to_jid=_account.user.jid,
                                   stanza_type="error",
diff --git a/src/jcl/jabber/presence.py b/src/jcl/jabber/presence.py
index 3afafa3..f9be953 100644
--- a/src/jcl/jabber/presence.py
+++ b/src/jcl/jabber/presence.py
@@ -83,13 +83,14 @@ class AccountPresenceHandler(Handler):
 class AccountPresenceAvailableHandler(AccountPresenceHandler):
     def get_account_presence(self, stanza, lang_class, _account):
         show_status = account.ONLINE
-        if _account.in_error:
+        if _account.error is not None:
             show_status = account.DND
         elif not _account.enabled:
             show_status = account.XA
-        return self.component.account_manager.send_presence_available(_account,
-                                                                      show_status,
-                                                                      lang_class)
+        return self.component.account_manager.send_presence_available(\
+            _account,
+            show_status,
+            lang_class)
 
 class RootPresenceHandler(AccountPresenceHandler):
     filter = jabber.get_accounts_root_filter
diff --git a/src/jcl/jabber/tests/component.py b/src/jcl/jabber/tests/component.py
index 1ce0cd4..bb0f2d9 100644
--- a/src/jcl/jabber/tests/component.py
+++ b/src/jcl/jabber/tests/component.py
@@ -2781,6 +2781,7 @@ class JCLComponent_TestCase(JCLTestCase):
                            name="account11",
                            jid="account11@jcl.test.com")
         exception = Exception("test exception")
+        self.assertEqual(_account.error, None)
         self.comp.send_error(_account, exception)
         self.assertEqual(len(self.comp.stream.sent), 1)
         error_sent = self.comp.stream.sent[0]
@@ -2790,6 +2791,7 @@ class JCLComponent_TestCase(JCLTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(error_sent.get_subject(), _account.default_lang_class.error_subject)
         self.assertEqual(error_sent.get_body(), _account.default_lang_class.error_body \
                          % (exception))
+        self.assertEqual(_account.error, "test exception")
         model.db_disconnect()
 
     def test_send_error_second(self):
@@ -2799,9 +2801,10 @@ class JCLComponent_TestCase(JCLTestCase):
         _account = Account(user=User(jid="user1@test.com"),
                            name="account11",
                            jid="account11@jcl.test.com")
-        _account.in_error = True
+        _account.error = "test exception"
         exception = Exception("test exception")
         self.comp.send_error(_account, exception)
+        self.assertEqual(_account.error, "test exception")
         self.assertEqual(len(self.comp.stream.sent), 0)
 
     def test_send_stanzas(self):
diff --git a/src/jcl/jabber/tests/presence.py b/src/jcl/jabber/tests/presence.py
index f271285..513fcc5 100644
--- a/src/jcl/jabber/tests/presence.py
+++ b/src/jcl/jabber/tests/presence.py
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ class AccountPresenceAvailableHandler_TestCase(JCLTestCase):
         account11 = Account(user=user1,
                             name="account11",
                             jid="account11@jcl.test.com")
-        account11.in_error = True
+        account11.error = "Error"
         account12 = Account(user=user1,
                             name="account12",
                             jid="account12@jcl.test.com")
diff --git a/src/jcl/model/account.py b/src/jcl/model/account.py
index 8326353..d72a2a5 100644
--- a/src/jcl/model/account.py
+++ b/src/jcl/model/account.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class Account(InheritableSQLObject):
     name = StringCol()
     jid = StringCol()
     _status = StringCol(default=OFFLINE, dbName="status")
-    in_error = BoolCol(default=False)
+    error = StringCol(default=None)
     legacy_jids = MultipleJoin('LegacyJID')
     enabled = BoolCol(default=True)
     lastlogin = DateTimeCol(default=datetime.datetime.today())