diff --git a/elasticsearch/connection/base.py b/elasticsearch/connection/base.py
index aa2ce332..5d254555 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/connection/base.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/connection/base.py
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ class Connection(object):
         try:
             additional_info = json.loads(raw_data)
             error_message = additional_info.get('error', error_message)
+            if isinstance(error_message, dict) and 'type' in error_message:
+                error_message = error_message['type']
         except:
             # we don't care what went wrong
             pass
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
index 5db653b0..c6386489 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class YamlTestCase(ElasticsearchTestCase):
         if catch in CATCH_CODES:
             self.assertEquals(CATCH_CODES[catch], exception.status_code)
         elif catch[0] == '/' and catch[-1] == '/':
-            self.assertTrue(re.search(catch[1:-1], exception.error))
+            self.assertTrue(re.search(catch[1:-1], repr(exception.info)))
         self.last_response = exception.info
 
     def run_gt(self, action):