diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index 7bee2991..4be17ff7 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ typedef enum {
   UV_UNKNOWN = -1,
   UV_OK = 0,
   UV_EOF,
+  UV_EADDRINFO,
   UV_EACCESS,
   UV_EAGAIN,
   UV_EADDRINUSE,
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ struct uv_err_s {
  * the error code.
  */
 uv_err_t uv_last_error(uv_loop_t*);
-char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err);
+const char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err);
 const char* uv_err_name(uv_err_t err);
 
 
diff --git a/src/unix/core.c b/src/unix/core.c
index 27e949e9..88e9bfc8 100644
--- a/src/unix/core.c
+++ b/src/unix/core.c
@@ -594,8 +594,8 @@ static int uv_getaddrinfo_done(eio_req* req) {
   free(handle->hostname);
 
   if (handle->retcode != 0) {
-    /* TODO how to display gai error strings? */
-    uv__set_sys_error(handle->loop, handle->retcode);
+    handle->loop->last_err.code = UV_EADDRINFO;
+    handle->loop->last_err.sys_errno_ = handle->retcode;
   }
 
   handle->cb(handle, handle->retcode, res);
diff --git a/src/unix/error.c b/src/unix/error.c
index c469fbb8..935a83b4 100644
--- a/src/unix/error.c
+++ b/src/unix/error.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ uv_err_code uv_translate_sys_error(int sys_errno) {
  *  a) rely on what the system provides us
  *  b) reverse-map the error codes
  */
-char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err) {
+const char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err) {
   int errorno;
 
   if (err.sys_errno_)
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err) {
   else
     errorno = uv__translate_lib_error(err.code);
 
+  if (err.code == UV_EADDRINFO)
+    return gai_strerror(errorno);
+
   if (errorno == -1)
     return "Unknown error";
   else
diff --git a/src/uv-common.c b/src/uv-common.c
index b42c761e..ffad8d15 100644
--- a/src/uv-common.c
+++ b/src/uv-common.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ const char* uv_err_name(uv_err_t err) {
     case UV_UNKNOWN: return "UNKNOWN";
     case UV_OK: return "OK";
     case UV_EOF: return "EOF";
+    case UV_EADDRINFO: return "EADDRINFO";
     case UV_EACCESS: return "EACCESS";
     case UV_EAGAIN: return "EAGAIN";
     case UV_EADDRINUSE: return "EADDRINUSE";
diff --git a/src/win/error.c b/src/win/error.c
index a060b2b9..1c523227 100644
--- a/src/win/error.c
+++ b/src/win/error.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ void uv_fatal_error(const int errorno, const char* syscall) {
 /* TODO: thread safety */
 static char* last_err_str_ = NULL;
 
-char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err) {
+const char* uv_strerror(uv_err_t err) {
   if (last_err_str_ != NULL) {
     LocalFree(last_err_str_);
   }