diff --git a/libasm/asm_error.c b/libasm/asm_error.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc3e660
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libasm/asm_error.c
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/* Error handling in libasm.
+   Copyright (C) 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009 Red Hat, Inc.
+   This file is part of elfutils.
+   Written by Ulrich Drepper <drepper@redhat.com>, 2002.
+
+   This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of either
+
+     * the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+       Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+       your option) any later version
+
+   or
+
+     * the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
+       Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at
+       your option) any later version
+
+   or both in parallel, as here.
+
+   elfutils is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+   WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received copies of the GNU General Public License and
+   the GNU Lesser General Public License along with this program.  If
+   not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <libintl.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include "libasmP.h"
+
+
+/* This is the key for the thread specific memory.  */
+static __thread int global_error;
+
+
+int
+asm_errno (void)
+{
+  int result = global_error;
+  global_error = ASM_E_NOERROR;
+  return result;
+}
+
+
+void
+internal_function
+__libasm_seterrno (int value)
+{
+  global_error = value;
+}
+
+
+/* Return the appropriate message for the error.  */
+static const char *msgs[ASM_E_NUM] =
+{
+  [ASM_E_NOERROR] = N_("no error"),
+  [ASM_E_NOMEM] = N_("out of memory"),
+  [ASM_E_CANNOT_CREATE] = N_("cannot create output file"),
+  [ASM_E_INVALID] = N_("invalid parameter"),
+  [ASM_E_CANNOT_CHMOD] = N_("cannot change mode of output file"),
+  [ASM_E_CANNOT_RENAME] = N_("cannot rename output file"),
+  [ASM_E_DUPLSYM] = N_("duplicate symbol"),
+  [ASM_E_TYPE] = N_("invalid section type for operation"),
+  [ASM_E_IOERROR] = N_("error during output of data"),
+  [ASM_E_ENOSUP] = N_("no backend support available"),
+};
+
+const char *
+asm_errmsg (int error)
+{
+  int last_error = global_error;
+
+  if (error < -1)
+    return _("unknown error");
+  if (error == 0 && last_error == 0)
+    /* No error.  */
+    return NULL;
+
+  if (error != -1)
+    last_error = error;
+
+  if (last_error == ASM_E_LIBELF)
+    return elf_errmsg (-1);
+
+  return _(msgs[last_error]);
+}