diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index 8f49e4637..5efd26ca5 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -180,16 +180,10 @@ exports.httputil = function (cgi, envReady) {
  */
 
 exports.betterErrors = function (assertion) {
-    if (!assertion.error) return;
+    if (!assertion.error) return assertion;
 
     var e = assertion.error;
-    // deepEqual error message is a bit sucky, lets improve it!
-    // e.actual and e.expected could be null or undefined, so
-    // using getOwnPropertyDescriptor to see if they exist:
-    if (Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(e, 'actual') &&
-        Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(e, 'expected')) {
-
-        // alexgorbatchev 2010-10-22 :: Added a bit of depth to inspection
+    if (e.actual && e.expected) {
         var actual = util.inspect(e.actual, false, 10).replace(/\n$/, '');
         var expected = util.inspect(e.expected, false, 10).replace(/\n$/, '');
         var multiline = (
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6a5d86eda..3a723d5d4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@
   , "url" : "http://github.com/caolan/nodeunit.git"
   }
 , "devDependencies":
-  { "uglify-js": ">=1.1.0" }
+  { "uglify-js": ">=1.1.0"
+  , "should" : ">=0.4.2"
+  }
 , "bugs" : { "url" : "http://github.com/caolan/nodeunit/issues" }
 , "licenses" :
   [ { "type" : "MIT"
diff --git a/test/test-bettererrors.js b/test/test-bettererrors.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d20ca246d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-bettererrors.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ *   Test utils.betterErrors. utils.betterErrors should provide sensible error messages even when the error does not
+ *   contain expected, actual or operator.
+ */
+var assert = require("../lib/assert");
+var should = require("should");
+var types = require("../lib/types");
+var util = require('util');
+var utils = require("../lib/utils");
+
+function betterErrorStringFromError(error) {
+    var assertion = types.assertion({error: error});
+    var better = utils.betterErrors(assertion);
+    return better.error.stack.toString();
+}
+
+function performBasicChecks(betterErrorString) {
+    betterErrorString.should.include("AssertionError");
+    betterErrorString.should.include("test-bettererrors");
+    betterErrorString.should.not.include("undefined");
+}
+
+/**
+ * Control test. Provide an AssertionError that contains actual, expected operator values.
+ * @param test the test object from nodeunit
+ */
+exports.testEqual = function (test) {
+    try {
+        assert.equal(true, false);
+    } catch (error) {
+        var betterErrorString = betterErrorStringFromError(error);
+        performBasicChecks(betterErrorString);
+        betterErrorString.should.include("true");
+        betterErrorString.should.include("false");
+        betterErrorString.should.include("==");
+        test.done();
+    }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Test an AssertionError that does not contain actual, expected or operator values.
+ * @param test the test object from nodeunit
+ */
+exports.testAssertThrows = function (test) {
+    try {
+        assert.throws(function () {
+        });
+    } catch (error) {
+        var betterErrorString = betterErrorStringFromError(error);
+        performBasicChecks(betterErrorString);
+        test.done();
+    }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Test with an error that is not an AssertionError.
+ * @param test the test object from nodeunit
+ */
+exports.testNonAssertionError = function (test) {
+    try {
+        throw new Error("test error");
+    } catch (error) {
+        var betterErrorString = betterErrorStringFromError(error);
+        betterErrorString.should.not.include("AssertionError");
+        betterErrorString.should.include("Error");
+        betterErrorString.should.include("test error");
+        betterErrorString.should.include("test-bettererrors");
+        betterErrorString.should.not.include("undefined");
+        test.done();
+    }
+};