diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 14123d3..4fa2a01 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ makes debugging easier). Running `rake autocompile` will watch the
 *   Fix bug with page Javascript page loading causing problems. [Issue
     #19]
 
+*   Raise an error if a URL fails to load in response to `#visit` or
+    `#click`.
+
 ### 0.3.0 ###
 
 *   There was a bad bug to do with clicking elements in a page where the
diff --git a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/browser.coffee b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/browser.coffee
index 6992ae7..3ca1b02 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/browser.coffee
+++ b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/browser.coffee
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ class Poltergeist.Browser
 
     @page.onLoadFinished = (status) =>
       if @state == 'loading'
-        @owner.sendResponse(status)
+        if status == 'success'
+          @owner.sendResponse(true)
+        else
+          @owner.sendError('URL failed to load')
+
         @state = 'default'
 
   visit: (url) ->
diff --git a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/browser.js b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/browser.js
index 8f7487b..419357c 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/browser.js
+++ b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/browser.js
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ Poltergeist.Browser = (function() {
     }, this);
     return this.page.onLoadFinished = __bind(function(status) {
       if (this.state === 'loading') {
-        this.owner.sendResponse(status);
+        if (status === 'success') {
+          this.owner.sendResponse(true);
+        } else {
+          this.owner.sendError('URL failed to load');
+        }
         return this.state = 'default';
       }
     }, this);
diff --git a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/main.js b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/main.js
index b9ef65e..2caae12 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/main.js
+++ b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/compiled/main.js
@@ -8,9 +8,7 @@ Poltergeist = (function() {
     try {
       return this.browser[command.name].apply(this.browser, command.args);
     } catch (error) {
-      return this.connection.send({
-        error: error.toString()
-      });
+      return this.sendError(error.toString());
     }
   };
   Poltergeist.prototype.sendResponse = function(response) {
@@ -18,6 +16,11 @@ Poltergeist = (function() {
       response: response
     });
   };
+  Poltergeist.prototype.sendError = function(message) {
+    return this.connection.send({
+      error: message
+    });
+  };
   return Poltergeist;
 })();
 Poltergeist.ObsoleteNode = (function() {
diff --git a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/main.coffee b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/main.coffee
index 5a07201..5cf8a07 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/main.coffee
+++ b/lib/capybara/poltergeist/client/main.coffee
@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@ class Poltergeist
     try
       @browser[command.name].apply(@browser, command.args)
     catch error
-      @connection.send({ error: error.toString() })
+      this.sendError(error.toString())
 
   sendResponse: (response) ->
     @connection.send({ response: response })
 
+  sendError: (message) ->
+    @connection.send({ error: message })
+
 class Poltergeist.ObsoleteNode
   toString: -> "Poltergeist.ObsoleteNode"
 
diff --git a/spec/integration/session_spec.rb b/spec/integration/session_spec.rb
index 13bf10e..492f11a 100644
--- a/spec/integration/session_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/session_spec.rb
@@ -99,5 +99,9 @@ describe Capybara::Session do
       sleep 0.1
       @session.body.should include("Hello world")
     end
+
+    it "raises an error if a load fails" do
+      expect { @session.visit 'omgwtfbbq12345632' }.to raise_error(Capybara::Poltergeist::BrowserError)
+    end
   end
 end