diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 9251734..3201358 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -49,12 +49,14 @@ type Upgrader struct {
 }
 
 // Return an error depending on settings on the Upgrader
-func (u *Upgrader) returnError(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, status int, reason error) {
+func (u *Upgrader) returnError(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, status int, reason string) (*Conn, error) {
+	err := HandshakeError{reason}
 	if u.Error != nil {
-		u.Error(w, r, status, reason)
+		u.Error(w, r, status, err)
 	} else {
-		http.Error(w, reason.Error(), status)
+		http.Error(w, reason, status)
 	}
+	return nil, err
 }
 
 // Check if the passed subprotocol is supported by the server
@@ -98,21 +100,15 @@ func (u *Upgrader) checkSameOrigin(r *http.Request) bool {
 // an error message already has been returned to the caller.
 func (u *Upgrader) Upgrade(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, responseHeader http.Header) (*Conn, error) {
 	if values := r.Header["Sec-Websocket-Version"]; len(values) == 0 || values[0] != "13" {
-		err := HandshakeError{"websocket: version != 13"}
-		u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, err)
-		return nil, err
+		return u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, "websocket: version != 13")
 	}
 
 	if !tokenListContainsValue(r.Header, "Connection", "upgrade") {
-		err := HandshakeError{"websocket: connection header != upgrade"}
-		u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, err)
-		return nil, err
+		return u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, "websocket: connection header != upgrade")
 	}
 
 	if !tokenListContainsValue(r.Header, "Upgrade", "websocket") {
-		err := HandshakeError{"websocket: upgrade != websocket"}
-		u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, err)
-		return nil, err
+		return u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, "websocket: upgrade != websocket")
 	}
 
 	checkOrigin := u.CheckOrigin
@@ -120,17 +116,13 @@ func (u *Upgrader) Upgrade(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, responseHeade
 		checkOrigin = u.checkSameOrigin
 	}
 	if !checkOrigin(r) {
-		err := HandshakeError{"websocket: origin not allowed"}
-		u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusForbidden, err)
-		return nil, err
+		return u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusForbidden, "websocket: origin not allowed")
 	}
 
 	var challengeKey string
 	values := r.Header["Sec-Websocket-Key"]
 	if len(values) == 0 || values[0] == "" {
-		err := HandshakeError{"websocket: key missing or blank"}
-		u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, err)
-		return nil, err
+		return u.returnError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, "websocket: key missing or blank")
 	}
 	challengeKey = values[0]