diff --git a/src/jabber.c b/src/jabber.c
index 70162cc4..d7809b03 100644
--- a/src/jabber.c
+++ b/src/jabber.c
@@ -42,18 +42,6 @@ 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, 
@@ -267,6 +255,32 @@ static int
 _message_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn, 
     xmpp_stanza_t * const stanza, void * const userdata)
 {
+    char *type;
+    char *from;
+
+    type = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "type");
+    from = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "from");
+
+    if (strcmp(type, "error") == 0) {
+        char *err_msg = NULL;
+        xmpp_stanza_t *error = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "error");
+        if (error == NULL) {
+            log_debug("error message without <error/> received");
+            return 1;
+        } else {
+            xmpp_stanza_t *err_cond = xmpp_stanza_get_children(error);
+            if (err_cond == NULL) {
+                log_debug("error message without <defined-condition/> received");
+                return 1;
+            } else {
+                err_msg = xmpp_stanza_get_name(err_cond);
+            }
+            // TODO: process 'type' attribute from <error/> [RFC6120, 8.3.2]
+        }
+        prof_handle_error_message(from, err_msg);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     xmpp_stanza_t *body = xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "body");
 
     // if no message, check for chatstates
@@ -277,7 +291,6 @@ _message_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
                 // active
             } else if (xmpp_stanza_get_child_by_name(stanza, "composing") != NULL) {
                 // composing
-                char *from = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "from");
                 prof_handle_typing(from);
             }
         }
@@ -286,27 +299,7 @@ _message_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
     }
 
     // message body recieved
-    char *type = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(stanza, "type");
-    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");
     prof_handle_incoming_message(from, message);
 
     return 1;
@@ -463,25 +456,6 @@ _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)
 {