diff --git a/lib/segment/analytics/request.rb b/lib/segment/analytics/request.rb
index d65e86e..5fcb1c2 100644
--- a/lib/segment/analytics/request.rb
+++ b/lib/segment/analytics/request.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def post(write_key, batch)
         if exception
           logger.error(exception.message)
           exception.backtrace.each { |line| logger.error(line) }
-          Response.new(-1, "Connection error: #{exception}")
+          Response.new(-1, exception.to_s)
         else
           last_response
         end
diff --git a/spec/segment/analytics/request_spec.rb b/spec/segment/analytics/request_spec.rb
index 721d7e9..b4d0f63 100644
--- a/spec/segment/analytics/request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/segment/analytics/request_spec.rb
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class Analytics
 
             it 'has a connection error' do
               error = subject.post(write_key, batch).error
-              expect(error).to match(/Connection error/)
+              expect(error).to match(/Malformed JSON/)
             end
 
             it_behaves_like('retried request', 200, 'Malformed JSON ---')