diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs b/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs
index 6f10335f3..68d90a231 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs
@@ -909,12 +909,8 @@ impl Connection {
             }
             trace!(self.log, "read {} TLS bytes", n);
             if let Err(e) = self.tls.read_handshake(&buf[..n]) {
-                debug!(self.log, "TLS error: {}", e);
-                return Err(if let Some(alert) = self.tls.alert() {
-                    TransportError::crypto(alert)
-                } else {
-                    TransportError::PROTOCOL_VIOLATION("TLS error")
-                });
+                debug!(self.log, "reading handshake bytes resulted in error {}", e);
+                return Err(e);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs b/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs
index 6644cc6e4..e92c9a1da 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ use ring::aead::{self, Aad, Nonce};
 use ring::digest;
 use ring::hkdf;
 use ring::hmac::{self, SigningKey};
-use rustls::internal::msgs::enums::AlertDescription;
 use rustls::quic::{ClientQuicExt, Secrets, ServerQuicExt};
 use rustls::ProtocolVersion;
 pub use rustls::{Certificate, NoClientAuth, PrivateKey, TLSError};
@@ -45,10 +44,6 @@ impl TlsSession {
 }
 
 impl CryptoSession for TlsSession {
-    fn alert(&self) -> Option<AlertDescription> {
-        self.get_alert()
-    }
-
     fn alpn_protocol(&self) -> Option<&[u8]> {
         self.get_alpn_protocol()
     }
@@ -65,8 +60,14 @@ impl CryptoSession for TlsSession {
         }
     }
 
-    fn read_handshake(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<(), TLSError> {
-        self.read_hs(buf)
+    fn read_handshake(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<(), TransportError> {
+        self.read_hs(buf).map_err(|_| {
+            if let Some(alert) = self.get_alert() {
+                TransportError::crypto(alert.get_u8())
+            } else {
+                TransportError::PROTOCOL_VIOLATION("TLS error")
+            }
+        })
     }
 
     fn sni_hostname(&self) -> Option<&str> {
@@ -101,11 +102,10 @@ impl CryptoSession for TlsSession {
 }
 
 pub trait CryptoSession {
-    fn alert(&self) -> Option<AlertDescription>;
     fn alpn_protocol(&self) -> Option<&[u8]>;
     fn early_crypto(&self) -> Option<Crypto>;
     fn is_handshaking(&self) -> bool;
-    fn read_handshake(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<(), TLSError>;
+    fn read_handshake(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<(), TransportError>;
     fn sni_hostname(&self) -> Option<&str>;
     fn transport_parameters(&self) -> Result<Option<TransportParameters>, TransportError>;
     fn write_handshake(&mut self, buf: &mut Vec<u8>) -> Option<Crypto>;
diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs b/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs
index 0c22d11e8..da7991775 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ fn reject_self_signed_cert() {
     pair.drive();
     assert_matches!(pair.client.poll(),
                     Some((conn, Event::ConnectionLost { reason: ConnectionError::TransportError(error)}))
-                    if conn == client_ch && error.code == TransportErrorCode::crypto(AlertDescription::BadCertificate));
+                    if conn == client_ch && error.code == TransportErrorCode::crypto(AlertDescription::BadCertificate.get_u8()));
 }
 
 #[test]
diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs b/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs
index 0111f5288..d3f064f12 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ impl Error {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn crypto(alert: AlertDescription) -> Self {
-        Self::new(Code::crypto(alert), None, "")
+    pub fn crypto(code: u8) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Code::crypto(code), None, "")
     }
 }
 
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ impl slog::Value for Error {
 pub struct Code(u16);
 
 impl Code {
-    pub fn crypto(alert: AlertDescription) -> Self {
-        Code(0x100 | alert.get_u8() as u16)
+    pub fn crypto(code: u8) -> Self {
+        Code(0x100 | code as u16)
     }
 }