diff --git a/WHATS_NEW b/WHATS_NEW
index be3d93cf2..db7f9fc41 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW
+++ b/WHATS_NEW
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 2.02.11 - 
 =====================================
+  Capture error messages in clvmd and pass them back to the user.
   Remove unused #defines from filter-md.c.
   Make clvmd restart init script wait until clvmd has died before starting it.
   Add -R to clvmd which tells running clvmds to reload their device cache.
diff --git a/daemons/clvmd/clvmd-command.c b/daemons/clvmd/clvmd-command.c
index 53ca4a2ad..9ba6e49b4 100644
--- a/daemons/clvmd/clvmd-command.c
+++ b/daemons/clvmd/clvmd-command.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int do_command(struct local_client *client, struct clvm_header *msg, int msglen,
 		if (status == EIO) {
 			*retlen =
 			    1 + snprintf(*buf, buflen,
-					 "Internal lvm error, check syslog");
+					 get_last_lvm_error());
 			return EIO;
 		}
 		break;
diff --git a/daemons/clvmd/clvmd.c b/daemons/clvmd/clvmd.c
index df13ef897..a8e037aa8 100644
--- a/daemons/clvmd/clvmd.c
+++ b/daemons/clvmd/clvmd.c
@@ -1689,6 +1689,7 @@ static void *lvm_thread_fn(void *arg)
 		}
 		pthread_mutex_unlock(&lvm_thread_mutex);
 	}
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /* Pass down some work to the LVM thread */
diff --git a/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c b/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c
index 987f39426..9891b26d9 100644
--- a/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c
+++ b/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.c
@@ -50,12 +50,18 @@
 static struct cmd_context *cmd = NULL;
 static struct dm_hash_table *lv_hash = NULL;
 static pthread_mutex_t lv_hash_lock;
+static char last_error[1024];
 
 struct lv_info {
 	int lock_id;
 	int lock_mode;
 };
 
+char *get_last_lvm_error()
+{
+	return last_error;
+}
+
 /* Return the mode a lock is currently held at (or -1 if not held) */
 static int get_current_lock(char *resource)
 {
@@ -201,8 +207,17 @@ static int do_activate_lv(char *resource, unsigned char lock_flags, int mode)
 	/* Try to get the lock if it's a clustered volume group */
 	if (lock_flags & LCK_CLUSTER_VG) {
 		status = hold_lock(resource, mode, LKF_NOQUEUE);
-		if (status)
+		if (status) {
+			/* Return an LVM-sensible error for this.
+			 * Forcing EIO makes the upper level return this text
+			 * rather than the strerror text for EAGAIN.
+			 */
+			if (errno == EAGAIN) {
+				sprintf(last_error, "Volume is busy on another node");
+				errno = EIO;
+			}
 			return errno;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* If it's suspended then resume it */
@@ -512,6 +527,19 @@ static void *get_initial_state()
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static void lvm2_log_fn(int level, const char *file, int line,
+			const char *message)
+{
+	/*
+	 * Ignore non-error messages, but store the latest one for returning 
+	 * to the user.
+	 */
+	if (level != _LOG_ERR && level != _LOG_FATAL)
+		return;
+
+	strcpy(last_error, message);
+}
+
 /* This checks some basic cluster-LVM configuration stuff */
 static void check_config()
 {
@@ -564,5 +592,8 @@ int init_lvm(int using_gulm)
 
 	get_initial_state();
 
+	/* Trap log messages so we can pass them back to the user */
+	init_log_fn(lvm2_log_fn);
+
 	return 1;
 }
diff --git a/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.h b/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.h
index 1cd2a81d4..d04964bf7 100644
--- a/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.h
+++ b/daemons/clvmd/lvm-functions.h
@@ -32,5 +32,6 @@ extern void init_lvhash(void);
 extern int hold_unlock(char *resource);
 extern int hold_lock(char *resource, int mode, int flags);
 extern void unlock_all(void);
+extern char *get_last_lvm_error(void);
 
 #endif