diff --git a/src/gargoyle.c b/src/gargoyle.c
index 7d05f24..78d8de2 100644
--- a/src/gargoyle.c
+++ b/src/gargoyle.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_argv(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, int *argc
     flags |= GARGOYLE_FLG_ICASE;
   }
 
-  gargoyle_cpy(err->func, __func__, GARGOYLE_MAX_FUNC_SZ, GARGOYLE_FLG_FILL0);
+  GARGOYLE_NEW_ERR(err);
 
   while(1) {
     const char *arg = **argv;
@@ -37,10 +37,9 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_argv(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, int *argc
 
       if(!opt) {
         if(flags & GARGOYLE_FLG_STRCT) {
-          err->code = GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT;
           char *eql = index(brand, '=');
-          snprintf(err->msg, GARGOYLE_MAX_ERR_SZ, "unknown option --%.*s", (int) (eql - brand), brand);
-          return GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT;
+          GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT, "unknown option '--%.*s'", (int) (eql - brand), brand);
+          return err->code;
         } else {
           *argc -= 1;
           *argv += 1;
@@ -49,23 +48,33 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_argv(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, int *argc
       }
 
       uint8_t res = 0;
+      const char *val = NULL;
 
       if(opt->type & GARGOYLE_TYPE_BOOL) {
         res = gargoyle_from_bool(opt, brand, "no-", 3, flags);
       } else if(*(brand + opt->brand_sz) == '=') {
-        res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, brand + opt->brand_sz + 1, flags);
+        val = brand + opt->brand_sz + 1;
+        res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, val, flags);
       } else {
         if(!*(*argv + 1)) {
-          return GARGOYLE_ERR_VALUE_REQUIRED;
+          GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, GARGOYLE_ERR_VALUE_REQUIRED, "option '--%s' requires a value", opt->brand);
+          return err->code;
         }
 
         *argc -= 1;
         *argv += 1;
-        res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, **argv, flags);
+        val = **argv;
+        res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, val, flags);
       }
 
       if(res) {
-        return res;
+        if(val) {
+          GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, res, "invalid value '%s' for option '--%s'", val, opt->brand);
+        } else {
+          GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, res, "invalid value for option '--%s'", opt->brand);
+        }
+
+        return err->code;
       }
     } else {
       const char *idx = arg + 1;
@@ -75,29 +84,43 @@ uint8_t gargoyle_digest_argv(uint16_t optc, struct gargoyle_opt *optv, int *argc
 
         if(!opt) {
           if(flags & GARGOYLE_FLG_STRCT) {
-            return GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT;
+            GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, GARGOYLE_ERR_UNKNOWN_OPT, "unknown option '-%c'", *idx);
+            return err->code;
           } else {
-            *argc -= 1;
-            *argv += 1;
+            idx += 1;
             continue;
           }
         }
 
         uint8_t res = 0;
+        const char *val = NULL;
 
         if(opt->type & GARGOYLE_TYPE_BOOL) {
           res = gargoyle_from_bool(opt, "", "*", 1, flags);
         } else if(*(idx + 1)) {
-          res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, idx + 1, flags);
+          val = idx + 1;
+          res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, val, flags);
           break;
         } else {
           if(!*(*argv + 1)) {
-            return GARGOYLE_ERR_VALUE_REQUIRED;
+            GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, GARGOYLE_ERR_VALUE_REQUIRED, "option '-%c' requires a value", opt->emblem);
+            return err->code;
           }
 
           *argc -= 1;
           *argv += 1;
-          res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, **argv, flags);
+          val = **argv;
+          res = gargoyle_from_rope(opt, val, flags);
+        }
+
+        if(res) {
+          if(val) {
+            GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, res, "invalid value '%s' for option '-%c'", val, opt->emblem);
+          } else {
+            GARGOYLE_MK_ERR(err, res, "invalid value for option '-%c'", opt->emblem);
+          }
+
+          return err->code;
         }
       }
     }