*** a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
--- b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
***************
*** 243,248 **** static char *pwdfMatchesString(char *buf, char *token);
--- 243,249 ----
  static char *PasswordFromFile(char *hostname, char *port, char *dbname,
  				 char *username);
  static void default_threadlock(int acquire);
+ static void save_error_messages(PGconn *conn);
  
  
  /* global variable because fe-auth.c needs to access it */
***************
*** 955,960 **** connectDBComplete(PGconn *conn)
--- 956,975 ----
  	}
  }
  
+ /*
+  * save_error_message - save the current error message in a simple
+  * one element "stack"
+  */
+ static void
+ save_error_messages(PGconn *conn)
+ {
+ 	if (conn->errorMessage.len > 0)
+ 	{
+ 		initPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessageSaved);
+ 		appendPQExpBufferStr(&conn->errorMessageSaved, conn->errorMessage.data);
+ 	}
+ }
+ 
  /* ----------------
   *		PQconnectPoll
   *
***************
*** 1447,1452 **** keep_going:						/* We will come back to here until there is
--- 1462,1469 ----
  						closesocket(conn->sock);
  						conn->sock = -1;
  						conn->status = CONNECTION_NEEDED;
+ 						save_error_messages(conn);
+ 
  						goto keep_going;
  					}
  				}
***************
*** 1627,1632 **** keep_going:						/* We will come back to here until there is
--- 1644,1650 ----
  						closesocket(conn->sock);
  						conn->sock = -1;
  						conn->status = CONNECTION_NEEDED;
+ 						save_error_messages(conn);
  						goto keep_going;
  					}
  
***************
*** 1646,1651 **** keep_going:						/* We will come back to here until there is
--- 1664,1670 ----
  						closesocket(conn->sock);
  						conn->sock = -1;
  						conn->status = CONNECTION_NEEDED;
+ 						save_error_messages(conn);
  						goto keep_going;
  					}
  #endif
***************
*** 1947,1952 **** makeEmptyPGconn(void)
--- 1966,1972 ----
  	conn->outBufSize = 16 * 1024;
  	conn->outBuffer = (char *) malloc(conn->outBufSize);
  	initPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessage);
+ 	conn->errorMessageSaved.data = NULL;
  	initPQExpBuffer(&conn->workBuffer);
  
  	if (conn->inBuffer == NULL ||
***************
*** 2023,2028 **** freePGconn(PGconn *conn)
--- 2043,2050 ----
  	if (conn->outBuffer)
  		free(conn->outBuffer);
  	termPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessage);
+ 	if (conn->errorMessageSaved.data)
+ 		termPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessageSaved);
  	termPQExpBuffer(&conn->workBuffer);
  
  	free(conn);
***************
*** 3538,3549 **** PQserverVersion(const PGconn *conn)
  }
  
  char *
! PQerrorMessage(const PGconn *conn)
  {
  	if (!conn)
  		return libpq_gettext("connection pointer is NULL\n");
  
! 	return conn->errorMessage.data;
  }
  
  int
--- 3560,3584 ----
  }
  
  char *
! PQerrorMessage(PGconn *conn)
  {
  	if (!conn)
  		return libpq_gettext("connection pointer is NULL\n");
  
! 	if (conn->errorMessageSaved.data)
! 	{
! 		/*
! 		 * Merge the two error message strings together.
! 		 * Stick the result in errorMessage, and make sure to
! 		 * get rid of the saved one so we don't keep adding everything.
! 		 */
! 		appendPQExpBufferStr(&conn->errorMessageSaved, conn->errorMessage.data);
! 
! 		resetPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessage);
! 		return conn->errorMessageSaved.data;
! 	}
! 	else
! 		return conn->errorMessage.data;
  }
  
  int
*** a/src/interfaces/libpq/libpq-fe.h
--- b/src/interfaces/libpq/libpq-fe.h
***************
*** 287,293 **** extern const char *PQparameterStatus(const PGconn *conn,
  				  const char *paramName);
  extern int	PQprotocolVersion(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQserverVersion(const PGconn *conn);
! extern char *PQerrorMessage(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQsocket(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQbackendPID(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQconnectionNeedsPassword(const PGconn *conn);
--- 287,293 ----
  				  const char *paramName);
  extern int	PQprotocolVersion(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQserverVersion(const PGconn *conn);
! extern char *PQerrorMessage(PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQsocket(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQbackendPID(const PGconn *conn);
  extern int	PQconnectionNeedsPassword(const PGconn *conn);
*** a/src/interfaces/libpq/libpq-int.h
--- b/src/interfaces/libpq/libpq-int.h
***************
*** 402,407 **** struct pg_conn
--- 402,408 ----
  
  	/* Buffer for current error message */
  	PQExpBufferData errorMessage;		/* expansible string */
+ 	PQExpBufferData errorMessageSaved;  /* saved in some retried operations */
  
  	/* Buffer for receiving various parts of messages */
  	PQExpBufferData workBuffer; /* expansible string */