diff --git a/c_src/sqlite3_nif.c b/c_src/sqlite3_nif.c
index 1984e1d..f71b491 100644
--- a/c_src/sqlite3_nif.c
+++ b/c_src/sqlite3_nif.c
@@ -319,6 +319,15 @@ exqlite_open(ErlNifEnv* env, int argc, const ERL_NIF_TERM argv[])
 
     rc = sqlite3_open_v2((char*)bin.data, &db, flags, NULL);
     if (rc != SQLITE_OK) {
+        if (db != NULL) {
+            char error_msg[1024];
+            const char* msg = sqlite3_errmsg(db);
+            int code = sqlite3_system_errno(db);
+            snprintf(error_msg, sizeof(error_msg), "%s (errno: %d)", msg, code);
+            sqlite3_close_v2(db);
+            return make_error_tuple(env, make_binary(env, error_msg, strlen(error_msg)));
+        }
+
         return make_error_tuple(env, am_database_open_failed);
     }
 
diff --git a/test/exqlite/sqlite3_test.exs b/test/exqlite/sqlite3_test.exs
index 22f4b98..9af54e6 100644
--- a/test/exqlite/sqlite3_test.exs
+++ b/test/exqlite/sqlite3_test.exs
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ defmodule Exqlite.Sqlite3Test do
       File.rm(path)
     end
 
+    test "fails opening a database on disk" do
+      {:ok, path} = Temp.path()
+      :ok = File.mkdir(path)
+      {:error, "unable to open database file (errno: " <> _number} = Sqlite3.open(path)
+      File.rm_rf(path)
+    end
+
     test "creates database path on disk when non-existent" do
       {:ok, path} = Temp.mkdir()
       {:ok, conn} = Sqlite3.open(path <> "/non_exist.db")