diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader.h b/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader.h
index 151de9fbeb..464be45e39 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader.h
@@ -40,14 +40,8 @@ public:
 	virtual int GetNextSourceFrame() const = 0;
 	virtual float GetStreamToSourceRatio() const = 0;
 
-	virtual RString GetError() const { return m_sError; }
+	virtual RString GetError() const = 0;
 	int RetriedRead( char *pBuffer, int iFrames, int *iSourceFrame = NULL, float *fRate = NULL );
-
-protected:
-	void SetError( RString sError ) const { m_sError = sError; }
-
-private:
-	mutable RString m_sError;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader_FileReader.h b/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader_FileReader.h
index 6ec0cd53e3..634fede526 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader_FileReader.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageSoundReader_FileReader.h
@@ -26,11 +26,16 @@ public:
 	virtual OpenResult Open(RString filename) = 0;
 	virtual bool IsStreamingFromDisk() const { return true; }
 	virtual float GetStreamToSourceRatio() const { return 1.0f; }
+	virtual RString GetError() const { return m_sError; }
 
 	static RageSoundReader *OpenFile( RString filename, RString &error );
 
+protected:
+	void SetError( RString sError ) const { m_sError = sError; }
+
 private:
 	static RageSoundReader_FileReader *TryOpenFile( RString filename, RString &error, RString format, bool &bKeepTrying );
+	mutable RString m_sError;
 };
 
 #endif