diff --git a/lib/common/util.js b/lib/common/util.js
index bb4e80e26ab..5b1b8f53e0d 100644
--- a/lib/common/util.js
+++ b/lib/common/util.js
@@ -145,15 +145,17 @@ function handleResp(err, resp, body, callback) {
     } catch(err) {}
   }
   if (body && body.error) {
+    // Error from JSON api.
     callback(new ApiError(body.error));
     return;
   }
   if (resp && (resp.statusCode < 200 || resp.statusCode > 299)) {
-    var error = 'error during request, statusCode: ' + resp.statusCode;
-    if (body) {
-      error += ', body: ' + body;
-    }
-    callback(new Error(error));
+    // Unknown error. Format according to ApiError standard.
+    callback(new ApiError({
+      errors: [],
+      code: resp.statusCode,
+      message: body || 'Error during request.'
+    }));
     return;
   }
   callback(null, body, resp);
diff --git a/test/common/util.js b/test/common/util.js
index 8c4942c6d81..8eb99d463cd 100644
--- a/test/common/util.js
+++ b/test/common/util.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe('handleResp', function() {
   it('should handle body errors', function(done) {
     var apiErr = {
       errors: [{ foo: 'bar' }],
-      code:  400,
+      code: 400,
       message: 'an error occurred'
     };
     util.handleResp(null, {}, { error: apiErr }, function(err) {
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ describe('handleResp', function() {
 
   it('should return error code if there are not other errors', function(done) {
     util.handleResp(null, { statusCode: 400 }, null, function(err) {
-      assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'error during request, statusCode: 400');
+      assert.strictEqual(err.code, 400);
+      assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'Error during request.');
       done();
     });
   });