diff --git a/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/__init__.py b/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/__init__.py
index 0eabb92..30a10bd 100644
--- a/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/__init__.py
+++ b/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/__init__.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ except ImportError as error:
     def DynamoDB(*args, **kwargs):
         raise error
 
-version_info = (0, 2, 0)
+version_info = (0, 2, 1)
 __version__ = '.'.join(str(v) for v in version_info)
 
 # Response constants
diff --git a/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/connector.py b/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/connector.py
index a6e698a..5a0882b 100644
--- a/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/connector.py
+++ b/sprockets/clients/dynamodb/connector.py
@@ -104,8 +104,12 @@ class DynamoDB(object):
                 if http_err.code == 599:
                     future.set_exception(exceptions.TimeoutException())
                 else:
+                    response_reason = str(http_err.code)
+                    if http_err.response and \
+                            hasattr(http_err.response, 'body'):
+                        response_reason = http_err.response.body
                     future.set_exception(
-                        exceptions.RequestException(http_err.message))
+                        exceptions.RequestException(response_reason))
             except Exception as exception:
                 future.set_exception(exception)
             else:
@@ -126,7 +130,11 @@ class DynamoDB(object):
             if err.code == 599:
                 future.set_exception(exceptions.TimeoutException())
             else:
-                future.set_exception(exceptions.RequestException(err.message))
+                reason = str(err.code)
+                if err.response and hasattr(err.response, 'body'):
+                    reason = err.response.body
+                future.set_exception(exceptions.RequestException(reason))
+
         else:
             ioloop.IOLoop.current().add_future(aws_response, handle_response)
         return future