diff --git a/src/uv-common.c b/src/uv-common.c
index 599d6257..2f16c7ab 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.c
+++ b/src/uv-common.c
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ void uv__set_sys_error(uv_loop_t* loop, int sys_error) {
 
 
 void uv__set_artificial_error(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_err_code code) {
-  loop->last_err.code = code;
-  loop->last_err.sys_errno_ = 0;
+  loop->last_err = uv__new_artificial_error(code);
 }
 
 
@@ -134,6 +133,14 @@ uv_err_t uv__new_sys_error(int sys_error) {
 }
 
 
+uv_err_t uv__new_artificial_error(uv_err_code code) {
+  uv_err_t error;
+  error.code = code;
+  error.sys_errno_ = 0;
+  return error;
+}
+
+
 uv_err_t uv_last_error(uv_loop_t* loop) {
   return loop->last_err;
 }
diff --git a/src/uv-common.h b/src/uv-common.h
index eecb1304..5d990367 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.h
+++ b/src/uv-common.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ void uv__set_error(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_err_code code, int sys_error);
 void uv__set_sys_error(uv_loop_t* loop, int sys_error);
 void uv__set_artificial_error(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_err_code code);
 uv_err_t uv__new_sys_error(int sys_error);
+uv_err_t uv__new_artificial_error(uv_err_code code);
 
 int uv__tcp_bind(uv_tcp_t* handle, struct sockaddr_in addr);
 int uv__tcp_bind6(uv_tcp_t* handle, struct sockaddr_in6 addr);