diff --git a/client/task_runner.go b/client/task_runner.go
index 8db5ffb09..984af2767 100644
--- a/client/task_runner.go
+++ b/client/task_runner.go
@@ -303,11 +303,10 @@ func (r *TaskRunner) run() {
 
 // Helper function for converting a WaitResult into a TaskTerminated event.
 func (r *TaskRunner) waitErrorToEvent(res *cstructs.WaitResult) *structs.TaskEvent {
-	e := structs.NewTaskEvent(structs.TaskTerminated).SetExitCode(res.ExitCode).SetSignal(res.Signal)
-	if res.Err != nil {
-		e.SetExitMessage(res.Err.Error())
-	}
-	return e
+	return structs.NewTaskEvent(structs.TaskTerminated).
+		SetExitCode(res.ExitCode).
+		SetSignal(res.Signal).
+		SetExitMessage(res.Err)
 }
 
 // Update is used to update the task of the context
diff --git a/nomad/structs/structs.go b/nomad/structs/structs.go
index 7c040e9d8..cdfdfa53e 100644
--- a/nomad/structs/structs.go
+++ b/nomad/structs/structs.go
@@ -1128,8 +1128,10 @@ func (e *TaskEvent) SetSignal(s int) *TaskEvent {
 	return e
 }
 
-func (e *TaskEvent) SetExitMessage(m string) *TaskEvent {
-	e.Message = m
+func (e *TaskEvent) SetExitMessage(err error) *TaskEvent {
+	if err != nil {
+		e.Message = err.Error()
+	}
 	return e
 }