diff --git a/api/agent/agent.go b/api/agent/agent.go
index 0bba47d34..784c03532 100644
--- a/api/agent/agent.go
+++ b/api/agent/agent.go
@@ -181,7 +181,6 @@ func transformTimeout(e error, isRetriable bool) error {
 }
 
 func (a *agent) Submit(callI Call) error {
-
 	a.wg.Add(1)
 	defer a.wg.Done()
 
@@ -217,7 +216,7 @@ func (a *agent) Submit(callI Call) error {
 	defer slot.Close() // notify our slot is free once we're done
 
 	// TODO Start is checking the timer now, we could do it here, too.
-	err = call.Start(ctx, a)
+	err = call.Start(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		a.stats.Dequeue(callI.Model().AppName, callI.Model().Path)
 		return transformTimeout(err, true)
@@ -241,7 +240,7 @@ func (a *agent) Submit(callI Call) error {
 	// TODO: we need to allocate more time to store the call + logs in case the call timed out,
 	// but this could put us over the timeout if the call did not reply yet (need better policy).
 	ctx = opentracing.ContextWithSpan(context.Background(), span)
-	err = call.End(ctx, err, a)
+	err = call.End(ctx, err)
 	return transformTimeout(err, false)
 }
 
diff --git a/api/agent/agent_test.go b/api/agent/agent_test.go
index 3d468eee7..ed3f33dc7 100644
--- a/api/agent/agent_test.go
+++ b/api/agent/agent_test.go
@@ -310,3 +310,67 @@ func TestLoggerIsStringerAndWorks(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// TODO we could check for the toilet to flush here to logrus
 }
+
+func TestSubmitError(t *testing.T) {
+	appName := "myapp"
+	path := "/error"
+	image := "fnproject/error"
+	const timeout = 1
+	const idleTimeout = 20
+	const memory = 256
+	method := "GET"
+	url := "http://127.0.0.1:8080/r/" + appName + path
+	payload := "payload"
+	typ := "sync"
+	format := "default"
+	env := map[string]string{
+		"FN_FORMAT":   format,
+		"FN_APP_NAME": appName,
+		"FN_PATH":     path,
+		"FN_MEMORY":   strconv.Itoa(memory),
+		"FN_TYPE":     typ,
+		"APP_VAR":     "FOO",
+		"ROUTE_VAR":   "BAR",
+		"DOUBLE_VAR":  "BIZ, BAZ",
+	}
+
+	cm := &models.Call{
+		BaseEnv:     env,
+		EnvVars:     env,
+		AppName:     appName,
+		Path:        path,
+		Image:       image,
+		Type:        typ,
+		Format:      format,
+		Timeout:     timeout,
+		IdleTimeout: idleTimeout,
+		Memory:      memory,
+		Payload:     payload,
+		URL:         url,
+		Method:      method,
+	}
+
+	// FromModel doesn't need a datastore, for now...
+	ds := datastore.NewMockInit(nil, nil, nil)
+
+	a := New(ds, ds, new(mqs.Mock))
+	defer a.Close()
+
+	callI, err := a.GetCall(FromModel(cm))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	err = a.Submit(callI)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error but got none")
+	}
+
+	if cm.Status != "error" {
+		t.Fatal("expected status to be set to 'error' but was", cm.Status)
+	}
+
+	if cm.Error == "" {
+		t.Fatal("expected error string to be set on call")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/api/agent/call.go b/api/agent/call.go
index 34474bb08..a2c4c845f 100644
--- a/api/agent/call.go
+++ b/api/agent/call.go
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ type Call interface {
 	// etc.
 	// TODO Start and End can likely be unexported as they are only used in the agent,
 	// and on a type which is constructed in a specific agent. meh.
-	Start(ctx context.Context, t callTrigger) error
+	Start(ctx context.Context) error
 
 	// End will be called immediately after attempting a call execution,
 	// regardless of whether the execution failed or not. An error will be passed
 	// to End, which if nil indicates a successful execution. Any error returned
 	// from End will be returned as the error from Submit.
-	End(ctx context.Context, err error, t callTrigger) error
+	End(ctx context.Context, err error) error
 }
 
 // TODO build w/o closures... lazy
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ func (a *agent) GetCall(opts ...CallOpt) (Call, error) {
 	c.ds = a.ds
 	c.ls = a.ls
 	c.mq = a.mq
+	c.ct = a
 
 	ctx, _ := common.LoggerWithFields(c.req.Context(),
 		logrus.Fields{"id": c.ID, "app": c.AppName, "route": c.Path})
@@ -277,11 +278,12 @@ type call struct {
 	w      io.Writer
 	req    *http.Request
 	stderr io.ReadWriteCloser
+	ct     callTrigger
 }
 
 func (c *call) Model() *models.Call { return c.Call }
 
-func (c *call) Start(ctx context.Context, t callTrigger) error {
+func (c *call) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 	span, ctx := opentracing.StartSpanFromContext(ctx, "agent_call_start")
 	defer span.Finish()
 
@@ -320,7 +322,7 @@ func (c *call) Start(ctx context.Context, t callTrigger) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err := t.fireBeforeCall(ctx, c.Model())
+	err := c.ct.fireBeforeCall(ctx, c.Model())
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("BeforeCall: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -328,7 +330,7 @@ func (c *call) Start(ctx context.Context, t callTrigger) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *call) End(ctx context.Context, errIn error, t callTrigger) error {
+func (c *call) End(ctx context.Context, errIn error) error {
 	span, ctx := opentracing.StartSpanFromContext(ctx, "agent_call_end")
 	defer span.Finish()
 
@@ -340,8 +342,8 @@ func (c *call) End(ctx context.Context, errIn error, t callTrigger) error {
 	case context.DeadlineExceeded:
 		c.Status = "timeout"
 	default:
-		// XXX (reed): should we append the error to logs? Error field? (TR) yes, think so, otherwise it's lost looks like?
 		c.Status = "error"
+		c.Error = errIn.Error()
 	}
 
 	if c.Type == models.TypeAsync {
@@ -366,11 +368,12 @@ func (c *call) End(ctx context.Context, errIn error, t callTrigger) error {
 
 	// NOTE call this after InsertLog or the buffer will get reset
 	c.stderr.Close()
-	err := t.fireAfterCall(ctx, c.Model())
-	if err != nil {
+
+	if err := c.ct.fireAfterCall(ctx, c.Model()); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("AfterCall: %v", err)
 	}
-	return errIn
+
+	return errIn // original error, important for use in sync call returns
 }
 
 func toEnvName(envtype, name string) string {
diff --git a/api/datastore/internal/datastoretest/test.go b/api/datastore/internal/datastoretest/test.go
index 07093f887..6d0b20c5c 100644
--- a/api/datastore/internal/datastoretest/test.go
+++ b/api/datastore/internal/datastoretest/test.go
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ func Test(t *testing.T, dsf func(t *testing.T) models.Datastore) {
 
 	call := new(models.Call)
 	call.CreatedAt = strfmt.DateTime(time.Now())
-	call.Status = "success"
+	call.Status = "error"
+	call.Error = "ya dun goofed"
 	call.StartedAt = strfmt.DateTime(time.Now())
 	call.CompletedAt = strfmt.DateTime(time.Now())
 	call.AppName = testApp.Name
@@ -55,13 +56,37 @@ func Test(t *testing.T, dsf func(t *testing.T) models.Datastore) {
 	t.Run("call-get", func(t *testing.T) {
 		ds := dsf(t)
 		call.ID = id.New().String()
-		ds.InsertCall(ctx, call)
+		err := ds.InsertCall(ctx, call)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: unexpected error `%v`", err)
+		}
 		newCall, err := ds.GetCall(ctx, call.AppName, call.ID)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall(ctx, call.ID): unexpected error `%v`", err)
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: unexpected error `%v`", err)
 		}
 		if call.ID != newCall.ID {
-			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall(ctx, call.ID): unexpected error `%v`", err)
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: id mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.ID, newCall.ID)
+		}
+		if call.Status != newCall.Status {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: status mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.Status, newCall.Status)
+		}
+		if call.Error != newCall.Error {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: error mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.Error, newCall.Error)
+		}
+		if time.Time(call.CreatedAt).Unix() != time.Time(newCall.CreatedAt).Unix() {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: created_at mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.CreatedAt, newCall.CreatedAt)
+		}
+		if time.Time(call.StartedAt).Unix() != time.Time(newCall.StartedAt).Unix() {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: started_at mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.StartedAt, newCall.StartedAt)
+		}
+		if time.Time(call.CompletedAt).Unix() != time.Time(newCall.CompletedAt).Unix() {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: completed_at mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.CompletedAt, newCall.CompletedAt)
+		}
+		if call.AppName != newCall.AppName {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: app_name mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.AppName, newCall.AppName)
+		}
+		if call.Path != newCall.Path {
+			t.Fatalf("Test GetCall: path mismatch `%v` `%v`", call.Path, newCall.Path)
 		}
 	})
 
diff --git a/api/datastore/sql/migrations/3_add_call_error.down.sql b/api/datastore/sql/migrations/3_add_call_error.down.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5319e0a8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/datastore/sql/migrations/3_add_call_error.down.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ALTER TABLE calls DROP COLUMN error;
diff --git a/api/datastore/sql/migrations/3_add_call_error.up.sql b/api/datastore/sql/migrations/3_add_call_error.up.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2c4b12a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/datastore/sql/migrations/3_add_call_error.up.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ALTER TABLE calls ADD error text;
diff --git a/api/datastore/sql/migrations/migrations.go b/api/datastore/sql/migrations/migrations.go
index 98503061f..54af44440 100644
--- a/api/datastore/sql/migrations/migrations.go
+++ b/api/datastore/sql/migrations/migrations.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 // 1_add_route_created_at.up.sql
 // 2_add_call_stats.down.sql
 // 2_add_call_stats.up.sql
+// 3_add_call_error.down.sql
+// 3_add_call_error.up.sql
 // DO NOT EDIT!
 
 package migrations
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ func _1_add_route_created_atDownSql() (*asset, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "1_add_route_created_at.down.sql", size: 43, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1510786558, 0)}
+	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "1_add_route_created_at.down.sql", size: 43, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511259011, 0)}
 	a := &asset{bytes: bytes, info: info}
 	return a, nil
 }
@@ -106,7 +108,7 @@ func _1_add_route_created_atUpSql() (*asset, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "1_add_route_created_at.up.sql", size: 40, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1510786558, 0)}
+	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "1_add_route_created_at.up.sql", size: 40, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511259011, 0)}
 	a := &asset{bytes: bytes, info: info}
 	return a, nil
 }
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ func _2_add_call_statsDownSql() (*asset, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "2_add_call_stats.down.sql", size: 37, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511225799, 0)}
+	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "2_add_call_stats.down.sql", size: 37, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511259011, 0)}
 	a := &asset{bytes: bytes, info: info}
 	return a, nil
 }
@@ -146,7 +148,47 @@ func _2_add_call_statsUpSql() (*asset, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "2_add_call_stats.up.sql", size: 34, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511225651, 0)}
+	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "2_add_call_stats.up.sql", size: 34, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511259011, 0)}
+	a := &asset{bytes: bytes, info: info}
+	return a, nil
+}
+
+var __3_add_call_errorDownSql = []byte("\x1f\x8b\x08\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\x72\xf4\x09\x71\x0d\x52\x08\x71\x74\xf2\x71\x55\x48\x4e\xcc\xc9\x29\x56\x70\x09\xf2\x0f\x50\x70\xf6\xf7\x09\xf5\xf5\x53\x48\x2d\x2a\xca\x2f\xb2\xe6\x02\x04\x00\x00\xff\xff\xc1\x14\x26\x51\x25\x00\x00\x00")
+
+func _3_add_call_errorDownSqlBytes() ([]byte, error) {
+	return bindataRead(
+		__3_add_call_errorDownSql,
+		"3_add_call_error.down.sql",
+	)
+}
+
+func _3_add_call_errorDownSql() (*asset, error) {
+	bytes, err := _3_add_call_errorDownSqlBytes()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "3_add_call_error.down.sql", size: 37, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511265731, 0)}
+	a := &asset{bytes: bytes, info: info}
+	return a, nil
+}
+
+var __3_add_call_errorUpSql = []byte("\x1f\x8b\x08\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\xff\x72\xf4\x09\x71\x0d\x52\x08\x71\x74\xf2\x71\x55\x48\x4e\xcc\xc9\x29\x56\x70\x74\x71\x51\x48\x2d\x2a\xca\x2f\x52\x28\x49\xad\x28\xb1\xe6\x02\x04\x00\x00\xff\xff\xaf\xba\x27\xcd\x22\x00\x00\x00")
+
+func _3_add_call_errorUpSqlBytes() ([]byte, error) {
+	return bindataRead(
+		__3_add_call_errorUpSql,
+		"3_add_call_error.up.sql",
+	)
+}
+
+func _3_add_call_errorUpSql() (*asset, error) {
+	bytes, err := _3_add_call_errorUpSqlBytes()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	info := bindataFileInfo{name: "3_add_call_error.up.sql", size: 34, mode: os.FileMode(420), modTime: time.Unix(1511265909, 0)}
 	a := &asset{bytes: bytes, info: info}
 	return a, nil
 }
@@ -207,6 +249,8 @@ var _bindata = map[string]func() (*asset, error){
 	"1_add_route_created_at.up.sql":   _1_add_route_created_atUpSql,
 	"2_add_call_stats.down.sql":       _2_add_call_statsDownSql,
 	"2_add_call_stats.up.sql":         _2_add_call_statsUpSql,
+	"3_add_call_error.down.sql":       _3_add_call_errorDownSql,
+	"3_add_call_error.up.sql":         _3_add_call_errorUpSql,
 }
 
 // AssetDir returns the file names below a certain
@@ -254,6 +298,8 @@ var _bintree = &bintree{nil, map[string]*bintree{
 	"1_add_route_created_at.up.sql":   &bintree{_1_add_route_created_atUpSql, map[string]*bintree{}},
 	"2_add_call_stats.down.sql":       &bintree{_2_add_call_statsDownSql, map[string]*bintree{}},
 	"2_add_call_stats.up.sql":         &bintree{_2_add_call_statsUpSql, map[string]*bintree{}},
+	"3_add_call_error.down.sql":       &bintree{_3_add_call_errorDownSql, map[string]*bintree{}},
+	"3_add_call_error.up.sql":         &bintree{_3_add_call_errorUpSql, map[string]*bintree{}},
 }}
 
 // RestoreAsset restores an asset under the given directory
diff --git a/api/datastore/sql/sql.go b/api/datastore/sql/sql.go
index 8a5b7ba65..57f880d5c 100644
--- a/api/datastore/sql/sql.go
+++ b/api/datastore/sql/sql.go
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ var tables = [...]string{`CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS routes (
 	app_name varchar(256) NOT NULL,
 	path varchar(256) NOT NULL,
 	stats text,
+	error text,
 	PRIMARY KEY (id)
 );`,
 
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ var tables = [...]string{`CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS routes (
 
 const (
 	routeSelector = `SELECT app_name, path, image, format, memory, type, timeout, idle_timeout, headers, config, created_at FROM routes`
-	callSelector  = `SELECT id, created_at, started_at, completed_at, status, app_name, path, stats FROM calls`
+	callSelector  = `SELECT id, created_at, started_at, completed_at, status, app_name, path, stats, error FROM calls`
 )
 
 type sqlStore struct {
@@ -587,7 +588,8 @@ func (ds *sqlStore) InsertCall(ctx context.Context, call *models.Call) error {
 		status,
 		app_name,
 		path,
-		stats
+		stats,
+		error
 	)
 	VALUES (
 		:id,
@@ -597,7 +599,8 @@ func (ds *sqlStore) InsertCall(ctx context.Context, call *models.Call) error {
 		:status,
 		:app_name,
 		:path,
-		:stats
+		:stats,
+		:error
 	);`)
 
 	_, err := ds.db.NamedExecContext(ctx, query, call)
diff --git a/api/models/call.go b/api/models/call.go
index c5de8a0dd..27f5f37b9 100644
--- a/api/models/call.go
+++ b/api/models/call.go
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ type Call struct {
 
 	// Stats is a list of metrics from this call's execution, possibly empty.
 	Stats drivers.Stats `json:"stats,omitempty" db:"stats"`
+
+	// Error is the reason why the call failed, it is only non-empty if
+	// status is equal to "error".
+	Error string `json:"error,omitempty" db:"error"`
 }
 
 type CallFilter struct {
diff --git a/docs/swagger.yml b/docs/swagger.yml
index 3b4167840..e741fe84c 100644
--- a/docs/swagger.yml
+++ b/docs/swagger.yml
@@ -646,6 +646,10 @@ definitions:
         type: string
         description: Call execution status.
         readOnly: true
+      error:
+        type: string
+        description: Call execution error, if status is 'error'.
+        readOnly: true
       app_name:
         type: string
         description: App name that is assigned to a route that is being executed.
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index 048323cab..449bb2644 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ docker rm -fv func-mysql-test || echo No prev mysql test db container
 docker run --name func-mysql-test -p 3306:3306 -e MYSQL_DATABASE=funcs -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=root -d mysql
 docker rm -fv func-minio-test || echo No prev minio test container
 docker run -d -p 9000:9000 --name func-minio-test -e "MINIO_ACCESS_KEY=admin" -e "MINIO_SECRET_KEY=password" minio/minio server /data
-sleep 5
+
+# pull all images used in tests so that tests don't time out and fail spuriously
+docker pull fnproject/sleeper
+docker pull fnproject/error
+docker pull fnproject/hello
 
 MYSQL_HOST=`host func-mysql-test`
 MYSQL_PORT=3306