diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 0e2b5b1..29d1a6c 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ var SparqlClient = module.exports = function (endpoint, options) {
 
     var responseHandler = function responseHandler(error, response, responseBody, callback) {
         var continuation = emptyFn;
-        if (error || response.statusCode >= 300) {
+        if (error) {
             var err;
 
             if (error && error.code == "ECONNREFUSED") {
@@ -51,8 +51,14 @@ var SparqlClient = module.exports = function (endpoint, options) {
                 new Error(err),
                 null
             ], that);
-        }
-        else {
+        } else if (response.statusCode >= 300) {
+          var err;
+          err = response.statusCode + ": " + response.statusMessage;
+          continuation = nextTick(callback, [
+            new Error(err),
+            null
+          ], that);
+        } else {
             try {
                 responseBody = JSON.parse(responseBody);
             }