diff --git a/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h b/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h
index f64c995..b82ccc6 100644
--- a/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h
+++ b/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ private:
     {
         if (SQLITE_OK != aRet)
         {
-            throw SQLite::Exception(sqlite3_errstr(aRet));
+            throw SQLite::Exception(mpSQLite, aRet);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/include/SQLiteCpp/Exception.h b/include/SQLiteCpp/Exception.h
index d58915e..e3a5ece 100644
--- a/include/SQLiteCpp/Exception.h
+++ b/include/SQLiteCpp/Exception.h
@@ -16,60 +16,6 @@
 #include <sqlite3.h>
 
 
-namespace SQLite
-{
-
-
-/**
- * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
- */
-class Exception : public std::runtime_error
-{
-public:
-    /**
-     * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
-     *
-     * @param[in] aErrorMessage The string message describing the SQLite error
-     */
-    explicit Exception(const std::string& aErrorMessage) :
-        std::runtime_error(aErrorMessage),
-        errcode(0),
-        extendedErrcode(0),
-        errstr(),
-        errmsg()
-    {
-    }
-    
-    /**
-     * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
-     *
-     * @param[in] apSQLite The SQLite object, to obtain detailed error messages from.
-     * @param[in] ret Return value from function call that failed.
-     */
-    explicit Exception(sqlite3* apSQLite, int ret) :
-        errcode(ret),
-        extendedErrcode(sqlite3_extended_errcode(apSQLite)),
-        errstr(sqlite3_errstr(ret)),
-        errmsg(sqlite3_errmsg(apSQLite)),
-        
-        std::runtime_error([apSQLite, ret](){
-            std::ostringstream message;
-            message << sqlite3_errstr(ret) << ": " << sqlite3_errmsg(apSQLite);
-            return message.str();
-        }())
-    {
-    }
-    
-    const int errcode;
-    const int extendedErrcode;
-    const std::string errstr;
-    const std::string errmsg;
-};
-
-
-}  // namespace SQLite
-
-
 /// Compatibility with non-clang compilers.
 #ifndef __has_feature
     #define __has_feature(x) 0
@@ -87,3 +33,91 @@ public:
     // Visual Studio 2013 does not support noexcept, and "throw()" is deprecated by C++11
     #define noexcept
 #endif
+
+
+namespace SQLite
+{
+
+
+/**
+ * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
+ */
+class Exception : public std::runtime_error
+{
+public:
+    /**
+     * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
+     *
+     * @param[in] aErrorMessage The string message describing the SQLite error
+     */
+    explicit Exception(const std::string& aErrorMessage) :
+        std::runtime_error(aErrorMessage),
+        mErrcode(-1), // 0 would be SQLITE_OK, which doesn't make sense
+        mExtendedErrcode(-1)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
+     *
+     * @param[in] apSQLite The SQLite object, to obtain detailed error messages from.
+     */
+    explicit Exception(sqlite3* apSQLite) :
+        std::runtime_error(sqlite3_errmsg(apSQLite)),
+        mErrcode(sqlite3_errcode(apSQLite)),
+        mExtendedErrcode(sqlite3_extended_errcode(apSQLite))
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
+     *
+     * @param[in] apSQLite The SQLite object, to obtain detailed error messages from.
+     * @param[in] ret Return value from function call that failed.
+     */
+    explicit Exception(sqlite3* apSQLite, int ret) :
+        std::runtime_error(sqlite3_errmsg(apSQLite)),
+        mErrcode(ret),
+        mExtendedErrcode(sqlite3_extended_errcode(apSQLite))
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Encapsulation of the error message from SQLite3, based on std::runtime_error.
+     *
+     * @param[in] apSQLite The SQLite object, to obtain detailed error messages from.
+     * @param[in] ret Return value from function call that failed.
+     * @param[in] aErrorMessage String providing more context, added to the SQLite errmsg
+     */
+    explicit Exception(sqlite3* apSQLite, int ret, const std::string &aErrorMessage) :
+        std::runtime_error(aErrorMessage + ": " + sqlite3_errmsg(apSQLite)),
+        mErrcode(ret),
+        mExtendedErrcode(sqlite3_extended_errcode(apSQLite))
+    {
+    }
+
+    /// @brief Return the result code (if any, otherwise -1).
+    inline int getErrorCode() const noexcept // nothrow
+    {
+        return mErrcode;
+    }
+
+    /// @brief Return the extended numeric result code (if any, otherwise -1).
+    inline int getExtendedErrorCode() const noexcept // nothrow
+    {
+        return mExtendedErrcode;
+    }
+
+    /// @brief Return a string, solely based on the error code
+    inline const char *getErrStr() const noexcept // nothrow
+    {
+        return sqlite3_errstr(mErrcode);
+    }
+
+private:
+    const int mErrcode;
+    const int mExtendedErrcode;
+};
+
+
+}  // namespace SQLite
diff --git a/src/Backup.cpp b/src/Backup.cpp
index ba8815a..c46ecfd 100644
--- a/src/Backup.cpp
+++ b/src/Backup.cpp
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ Backup::Backup(Database&  aDestDatabase,
                                          apSrcDatabaseName);
     if (NULL == mpSQLiteBackup)
     {
-        std::string strerr = sqlite3_errmsg(aDestDatabase.getHandle());
-        throw SQLite::Exception(strerr);
+        throw SQLite::Exception(aDestDatabase.getHandle());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/Database.cpp b/src/Database.cpp
index 2ce2183..f19dee9 100644
--- a/src/Database.cpp
+++ b/src/Database.cpp
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ Database::Database(const char* apFilename,
     const int ret = sqlite3_open_v2(apFilename, &mpSQLite, aFlags, apVfs);
     if (SQLITE_OK != ret)
     {
-        std::string strerr = sqlite3_errstr(ret);
+        const SQLite::Exception exception(mpSQLite, ret); // must create before closing
         sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
-        throw SQLite::Exception(strerr);
+        throw exception;
     }
 
     if (aBusyTimeoutMs > 0)
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ Database::Database(const std::string& aFilename,
     const int ret = sqlite3_open_v2(aFilename.c_str(), &mpSQLite, aFlags, aVfs.empty() ? NULL : aVfs.c_str());
     if (SQLITE_OK != ret)
     {
-        std::string strerr = sqlite3_errstr(ret);
+        const SQLite::Exception exception(mpSQLite, ret); // must create before closing
         sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
-        throw SQLite::Exception(strerr);
+        throw exception;
     }
 
     if (aBusyTimeoutMs > 0)
diff --git a/src/Statement.cpp b/src/Statement.cpp
index f8db0c2..eec9a92 100644
--- a/src/Statement.cpp
+++ b/src/Statement.cpp
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ bool Statement::executeStep()
         {
             mbOk = false;
             mbDone = false;
-            throw SQLite::Exception(sqlite3_errstr(ret));
+            throw SQLite::Exception(mStmtPtr, ret);
         }
     }
     else