diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs b/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs
index f4fc5b146..ef682de7f 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/connection.rs
@@ -908,10 +908,7 @@ impl Connection {
                 return Ok(());
             }
             trace!(self.log, "read {} TLS bytes", n);
-            if let Err(e) = self.tls.read_handshake(&buf[..n]) {
-                debug!(self.log, "reading handshake bytes resulted in error {}", e);
-                return Err(e);
-            }
+            self.tls.read_handshake(&buf[..n])?;
         }
     }
 
@@ -1155,7 +1152,7 @@ impl Connection {
                     debug!(
                         self.log,
                         "closing connection due to transport error: {error}",
-                        error = err
+                        error = &err
                     );
                     State::closed(err)
                 }
diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs b/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs
index 15d402d84..645624d40 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/crypto.rs
@@ -60,11 +60,11 @@ impl CryptoSession for TlsSession {
     }
 
     fn read_handshake(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<(), TransportError> {
-        self.read_hs(buf).map_err(|_| {
+        self.read_hs(buf).map_err(|e| {
             if let Some(alert) = self.get_alert() {
-                TransportError::crypto(alert.get_u8())
+                TransportError::crypto(alert.get_u8(), e.to_string())
             } else {
-                TransportError::PROTOCOL_VIOLATION("TLS error")
+                TransportError::PROTOCOL_VIOLATION(format!("TLS error: {}", e))
             }
         })
     }
diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs b/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs
index da7991775..341257aaa 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/tests.rs
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ fn reject_self_signed_cert() {
         .unwrap();
     pair.drive();
     assert_matches!(pair.client.poll(),
-                    Some((conn, Event::ConnectionLost { reason: ConnectionError::TransportError(error)}))
+                    Some((conn, Event::ConnectionLost { reason: ConnectionError::TransportError(ref error)}))
                     if conn == client_ch && error.code == TransportErrorCode::crypto(AlertDescription::BadCertificate.get_u8()));
 }
 
diff --git a/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs b/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs
index d3f064f12..848ece0a9 100644
--- a/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs
+++ b/quinn-proto/src/transport_error.rs
@@ -7,24 +7,27 @@ use crate::coding::{self, BufExt, BufMutExt};
 use crate::frame;
 use rustls::internal::msgs::{codec::Codec, enums::AlertDescription};
 
-#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Error {
     pub code: Code,
     pub frame: Option<frame::Type>,
-    pub reason: &'static str,
+    pub reason: String,
 }
 
 impl Error {
-    pub fn new(code: Code, frame: Option<frame::Type>, reason: &'static str) -> Self {
+    pub fn new<T>(code: Code, frame: Option<frame::Type>, reason: T) -> Self
+    where
+        T: Into<String>,
+    {
         Self {
             code,
             frame,
-            reason,
+            reason: reason.into(),
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn crypto(code: u8) -> Self {
-        Self::new(Code::crypto(code), None, "")
+    pub fn crypto(code: u8, reason: String) -> Self {
+        Self::new(Code::crypto(code), None, reason)
     }
 }
 
@@ -46,7 +49,7 @@ impl From<Code> for Error {
         Self {
             code: x,
             frame: None,
-            reason: "",
+            reason: "".to_string(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -91,11 +94,11 @@ macro_rules! errors {
         #[allow(non_snake_case, unused)]
         impl Error {
             $(
-            pub(crate) fn $name(reason: &'static str) -> Self {
+            pub(crate) fn $name<T>(reason: T) -> Self where T: Into<String> {
                 Self {
                     code: Code::$name,
                     frame: None,
-                    reason,
+                    reason: reason.into(),
                 }
             }
             )*
diff --git a/quinn/src/lib.rs b/quinn/src/lib.rs
index 196ab7d1d..9cee52a80 100644
--- a/quinn/src/lib.rs
+++ b/quinn/src/lib.rs
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ impl Drop for Driver {
             ch.fail(ConnectionError::TransportError(quinn::TransportError {
                 code: quinn::TransportErrorCode::INTERNAL_ERROR,
                 frame: None,
-                reason: "driver future was dropped",
+                reason: "driver future was dropped".to_string(),
             }));
         }
     }