diff --git a/ext/mysql2/mysql2_ext.c b/ext/mysql2/mysql2_ext.c
index 7bba561..b19d20a 100644
--- a/ext/mysql2/mysql2_ext.c
+++ b/ext/mysql2/mysql2_ext.c
@@ -736,18 +736,10 @@ static VALUE rb_mysql_result_each(int argc, VALUE * argv, VALUE self) {
   return wrapper->rows;
 }
 
-static VALUE rb_mysql_error_error_number(VALUE obj) {
-    return rb_iv_get(obj, "error_number");
-}
-
-static VALUE rb_mysql_error_sql_state(VALUE obj) {
-    return rb_iv_get(obj, "sql_state");
-}
-
 static VALUE rb_raise_mysql2_error(MYSQL *client) {
   VALUE e = rb_exc_new2(cMysql2Error, mysql_error(client));
-  rb_iv_set(e, "error_number", INT2FIX(mysql_errno(client)));
-  rb_iv_set(e, "sql_state", rb_tainted_str_new2(mysql_sqlstate(client)));
+  rb_funcall(e, rb_intern("error_number="), 1, INT2NUM(mysql_errno(client)));
+  rb_funcall(e, rb_intern("sql_state="), 1, rb_tainted_str_new2(mysql_sqlstate(client)));
   rb_exc_raise(e);
   return Qnil;
 }
@@ -773,9 +765,7 @@ void Init_mysql2() {
   rb_define_method(cMysql2Client, "last_id", rb_mysql_client_last_id, 0);
   rb_define_method(cMysql2Client, "affected_rows", rb_mysql_client_affected_rows, 0);
 
-  cMysql2Error = rb_define_class_under(mMysql2, "Error", rb_eStandardError);
-  rb_define_method(cMysql2Error, "error_number", rb_mysql_error_error_number, 0);
-  rb_define_method(cMysql2Error, "sql_state", rb_mysql_error_sql_state, 0);
+  cMysql2Error = rb_const_get(mMysql2, rb_intern("Error"));
 
   cMysql2Result = rb_define_class_under(mMysql2, "Result", rb_cObject);
   rb_define_method(cMysql2Result, "each", rb_mysql_result_each, -1);
diff --git a/lib/mysql2.rb b/lib/mysql2.rb
index 46cb481..26bb058 100644
--- a/lib/mysql2.rb
+++ b/lib/mysql2.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 require 'date'
 require 'bigdecimal'
 
-require 'mysql2.so'
+require 'mysql2/error'
+require 'mysql2/mysql2'
 
 # = Mysql2
 #
diff --git a/lib/mysql2/error.rb b/lib/mysql2/error.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c14ae35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/mysql2/error.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+module Mysql2
+  class Error < StandardError
+    attr_accessor :error_number, :sql_state
+
+    def initialize msg
+      super
+      @error_number = nil
+      @sql_state    = nil
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/mysql2.gemspec b/mysql2.gemspec
index 081b373..3385563 100644
--- a/mysql2.gemspec
+++ b/mysql2.gemspec
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
 
   s.required_rubygems_version = Gem::Requirement.new(">= 0") if s.respond_to? :required_rubygems_version=
   s.authors = ["Brian Lopez"]
-  s.date = %q{2010-06-29}
+  s.date = %q{2010-06-30}
   s.email = %q{seniorlopez@gmail.com}
   s.extensions = ["ext/mysql2/extconf.rb"]
   s.extra_rdoc_files = [
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
      "lib/arel/engines/sql/compilers/mysql2_compiler.rb",
      "lib/mysql2.rb",
      "lib/mysql2/em.rb",
+     "lib/mysql2/error.rb",
      "lib/sequel/adapters/mysql2.rb",
      "mysql2.gemspec",
      "spec/active_record/active_record_spec.rb",