diff --git a/src/jabber.c b/src/jabber.c
index c8caf415..70162cc4 100644
--- a/src/jabber.c
+++ b/src/jabber.c
@@ -42,6 +42,18 @@ static struct _jabber_conn_t {
     int tls_disabled;
 } jabber_conn;
 
+typedef struct _err_code_tbl_t {
+    int code;
+    char *condition;
+} err_code_tbl_t;
+
+static err_code_tbl_t err_code_tbl[] = {
+    {404, "recipient-unavailable"},
+    {503, "service-unavailable"},
+    {0, NULL}, // termination line
+};
+
+static char *_get_xmpp_err_by_code(const char * const err_code);
 static log_level_t _get_log_level(xmpp_log_level_t xmpp_level);
 static xmpp_log_level_t _get_xmpp_log_level();
 static void _xmpp_file_logger(void * const userdata, 
@@ -275,8 +287,23 @@ _message_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
 
     // message body recieved
     char *type = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "type");
-    if(strcmp(type, "error") == 0)
+    if(strcmp(type, "error") == 0) {
+        // error message received
+        char *from = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "from");
+        char *err_msg = NULL;
+        xmpp_stanza_t *error = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "error");
+        if (error) {
+            xmpp_stanza_t *err_cond = xmpp_stanza_get_children(error);
+            if (err_cond) {
+                err_msg = xmpp_stanza_get_name(err_cond);
+            } else {
+                char *err_code = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(error, "code");
+                err_msg = _get_xmpp_err_by_code(err_code);
+            }
+        }
+        prof_handle_error_message(from, err_msg);
         return 1;
+    }
 
     char *message = xmpp_stanza_get_text(body);
     char *from = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "from");
@@ -436,6 +463,25 @@ _presence_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
     return 1;
 }
 
+static char *
+_get_xmpp_err_by_code(const char * const err_code)
+{
+    int code;
+    int i = 0;
+
+    if (err_code == NULL)
+        return NULL;
+
+    code = atoi(err_code);
+    while (err_code_tbl[i].code != 0) {
+        if (err_code_tbl[i].code == code) {
+            return err_code_tbl[i].condition;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 static log_level_t
 _get_log_level(xmpp_log_level_t xmpp_level)
 {
diff --git a/src/profanity.c b/src/profanity.c
index 0b909935..7795389d 100644
--- a/src/profanity.c
+++ b/src/profanity.c
@@ -114,6 +114,24 @@ prof_handle_incoming_message(char *from, char *message)
     }  
 }
 
+void
+prof_handle_error_message(const char *from, const char *err_msg)
+{
+    char *msg, *fmt;
+
+    if (err_msg != NULL) {
+        fmt = "Error received from server: %s";
+        msg = (char *)malloc(strlen(err_msg) + strlen(fmt) - 1);
+        if (msg == NULL)
+            goto loop_out;
+        sprintf(msg, fmt, err_msg);
+        cons_bad_show(msg);
+        free(msg);
+    }
+loop_out:
+    win_show_error_msg(from, err_msg);
+}
+
 void
 prof_handle_login_success(const char *jid)
 {
diff --git a/src/profanity.h b/src/profanity.h
index 3731f2c1..3d37d85e 100644
--- a/src/profanity.h
+++ b/src/profanity.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ void prof_handle_typing(char *from);
 void prof_handle_contact_online(char *contact, char *show, char *status);
 void prof_handle_contact_offline(char *contact, char *show, char *status);
 void prof_handle_incoming_message(char *from, char *message);
+void prof_handle_error_message(const char *from, const char *err_msg);
 void prof_handle_roster(GSList *roster);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/ui.h b/src/ui.h
index 66a41e07..d1d56276 100644
--- a/src/ui.h
+++ b/src/ui.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ int win_in_chat(void);
 char *win_get_recipient(void);
 void win_show_typing(const char * const from);
 void win_show_incomming_msg(const char * const from, const char * const message);
+void win_show_error_msg(const char * const from, const char *err_msg);
 void win_show_outgoing_msg(const char * const from, const char * const to, 
     const char * const message);
 void win_handle_special_keys(const int * const ch);
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index a303b3c7..6b0a85e3 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ static void _win_switch_if_active(const int i);
 static void _win_show_time(WINDOW *win);
 static void _win_show_user(WINDOW *win, const char * const user, const int colour);
 static void _win_show_message(WINDOW *win, const char * const message);
+static void _win_show_error_msg(WINDOW *win, const char * const message);
 static void _show_status_string(WINDOW *win, const char * const from, 
     const char * const show, const char * const status, const char * const pre, 
     const char * const default_show);
@@ -302,6 +303,24 @@ win_show_incomming_msg(const char * const from, const char * const message)
 #endif
 }
 
+void
+win_show_error_msg(const char * const from, const char *err_msg)
+{
+    int win_index;
+    WINDOW *win;
+
+    if (from == NULL || err_msg == NULL)
+        return;
+
+    win_index = _find_prof_win_index(from);
+    // chat window exists
+    if (win_index < NUM_WINS) {
+        win = _wins[win_index].win;
+        _win_show_time(win);
+        _win_show_error_msg(win, err_msg);
+    }
+}
+
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBNOTIFY
 static void
 _win_notify(const char * const message, int timeout, 
@@ -898,6 +917,14 @@ _win_show_message(WINDOW *win, const char * const message)
     wprintw(win, "%s\n", message);
 }
 
+static void
+_win_show_error_msg(WINDOW *win, const char * const message)
+{
+    wattron(win, COLOUR_ERR);
+    wprintw(win, "%s\n", message);
+    wattroff(win, COLOUR_ERR);
+}
+
 static void
 _current_window_refresh(void)
 {