diff --git a/lib/elasticsearch/exception.ex b/lib/elasticsearch/exception.ex
index eda8b65..4928168 100644
--- a/lib/elasticsearch/exception.ex
+++ b/lib/elasticsearch/exception.ex
@@ -70,6 +70,18 @@ defmodule Elasticsearch.Exception do
     ]
   end
 
+  defp build(error, query) when is_map(error) do
+    [
+      status: nil,
+      line: nil,
+      col: nil,
+      message: error["message"],
+      type: nil,
+      query: query,
+      raw: error
+    ]
+  end
+
   defp build(error, query) when is_binary(error) do
     binary_error(error, query)
   end
diff --git a/test/elasticsearch/exception_test.exs b/test/elasticsearch/exception_test.exs
index 138f75b..f5edbd8 100644
--- a/test/elasticsearch/exception_test.exs
+++ b/test/elasticsearch/exception_test.exs
@@ -59,5 +59,26 @@ defmodule Elasticsearch.ExceptionTest do
                  query: nil
                )
     end
+
+    # See issue: https://github.com/infinitered/elasticsearch-elixir/issues/39
+    @tag :regression
+    test "handles arbitrary error maps" do
+      assert %Exception{type: nil, message: nil, query: nil, raw: %{"message" => nil}} =
+               Exception.exception(%{
+                 response: %{"message" => nil},
+                 query: nil
+               })
+
+      assert %Exception{
+               type: nil,
+               message: "Unable to connect to the server.",
+               query: nil,
+               raw: %{"message" => "Unable to connect to the server.", "ok" => false}
+             } =
+               Exception.exception(%{
+                 response: %{"message" => "Unable to connect to the server.", "ok" => false},
+                 query: nil
+               })
+    end
   end
 end