diff --git a/libelf/elf_error.c b/libelf/elf_error.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5364e68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libelf/elf_error.c
@@ -0,0 +1,355 @@
+/* Error handling in libelf.
+   Copyright (C) 1998-2010, 2015 Red Hat, Inc.
+   This file is part of elfutils.
+   Written by Ulrich Drepper <drepper@redhat.com>, 1998.
+
+   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 <assert.h>
+#include <libintl.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include "libelfP.h"
+
+
+/* The error number.  */
+static __thread int global_error;
+
+
+int
+elf_errno (void)
+{
+  int result = global_error;
+  global_error = ELF_E_NOERROR;
+  return result;
+}
+
+
+/* Return the appropriate message for the error.  */
+static const char msgstr[] =
+{
+#define ELF_E_NOERROR_IDX 0
+  N_("no error")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_UNKNOWN_ERROR_IDX (ELF_E_NOERROR_IDX + sizeof "no error")
+  N_("unknown error")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_UNKNOWN_VERSION_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_UNKNOWN_ERROR_IDX + sizeof "unknown error")
+  N_("unknown version")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_UNKNOWN_TYPE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_UNKNOWN_VERSION_IDX + sizeof "unknown version")
+  N_("unknown type")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_HANDLE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_UNKNOWN_TYPE_IDX + sizeof "unknown type")
+  N_("invalid `Elf' handle")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_SOURCE_SIZE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_HANDLE_IDX + sizeof "invalid `Elf' handle")
+  N_("invalid size of source operand")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_DEST_SIZE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_SOURCE_SIZE_IDX + sizeof "invalid size of source operand")
+  N_("invalid size of destination operand")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_ENCODING_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_DEST_SIZE_IDX + sizeof "invalid size of destination operand")
+  N_("invalid encoding")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NOMEM_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_ENCODING_IDX + sizeof "invalid encoding")
+  N_("out of memory")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_FILE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NOMEM_IDX + sizeof "out of memory")
+  N_("invalid file descriptor")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_ELF_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_FILE_IDX + sizeof "invalid file descriptor")
+  N_("invalid ELF file data")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_OP_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_ELF_IDX + sizeof "invalid ELF file data")
+  N_("invalid operation")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NO_VERSION_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_OP_IDX + sizeof "invalid operation")
+  N_("ELF version not set")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_CMD_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NO_VERSION_IDX + sizeof "ELF version not set")
+  N_("invalid command")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_RANGE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_CMD_IDX + sizeof "invalid command")
+  N_("offset out of range")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_ARCHIVE_FMAG_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_RANGE_IDX + sizeof "offset out of range")
+  N_("invalid fmag field in archive header")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_ARCHIVE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_ARCHIVE_FMAG_IDX + sizeof "invalid fmag field in archive header")
+  N_("invalid archive file")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NO_ARCHIVE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_ARCHIVE_IDX + sizeof "invalid archive file")
+  N_("descriptor is not for an archive")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NO_INDEX_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NO_ARCHIVE_IDX + sizeof "descriptor is not for an archive")
+  N_("no index available")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_READ_ERROR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NO_INDEX_IDX + sizeof "no index available")
+  N_("cannot read data from file")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_WRITE_ERROR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_READ_ERROR_IDX + sizeof "cannot read data from file")
+  N_("cannot write data to file")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_CLASS_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_WRITE_ERROR_IDX + sizeof "cannot write data to file")
+  N_("invalid binary class")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_CLASS_IDX + sizeof "invalid binary class")
+  N_("invalid section index")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_OPERAND_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX_IDX + sizeof "invalid section index")
+  N_("invalid operand")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_OPERAND_IDX + sizeof "invalid operand")
+  N_("invalid section")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_COMMAND_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_IDX + sizeof "invalid section")
+  N_("invalid command")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_WRONG_ORDER_EHDR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_COMMAND_IDX + sizeof "invalid command")
+  N_("executable header not created first")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_FD_DISABLED_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_WRONG_ORDER_EHDR_IDX + sizeof "executable header not created first")
+  N_("file descriptor disabled")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_FD_MISMATCH_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_FD_DISABLED_IDX + sizeof "file descriptor disabled")
+  N_("archive/member file descriptor mismatch")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_OFFSET_RANGE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_FD_MISMATCH_IDX + sizeof "archive/member file descriptor mismatch")
+  N_("offset out of range")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NOT_NUL_SECTION_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_OFFSET_RANGE_IDX + sizeof "offset out of range")
+  N_("cannot manipulate null section")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_DATA_MISMATCH_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NOT_NUL_SECTION_IDX + sizeof "cannot manipulate null section")
+  N_("data/scn mismatch")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_HEADER_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_DATA_MISMATCH_IDX + sizeof "data/scn mismatch")
+  N_("invalid section header")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_DATA_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_HEADER_IDX + sizeof "invalid section header")
+  N_("invalid data")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_DATA_ENCODING_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_DATA_IDX + sizeof "invalid data")
+  N_("unknown data encoding")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_SECTION_TOO_SMALL_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_DATA_ENCODING_IDX + sizeof "unknown data encoding")
+  N_("section `sh_size' too small for data")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_ALIGN_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_SECTION_TOO_SMALL_IDX + sizeof "section `sh_size' too small for data")
+  N_("invalid section alignment")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_SHENTSIZE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_ALIGN_IDX + sizeof "invalid section alignment")
+  N_("invalid section entry size")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_UPDATE_RO_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_SHENTSIZE_IDX + sizeof "invalid section entry size")
+  N_("update() for write on read-only file")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NOFILE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_UPDATE_RO_IDX + sizeof "update() for write on read-only file")
+  N_("no such file")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_GROUP_NOT_REL_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NOFILE_IDX + sizeof "no such file")
+  N_("only relocatable files can contain section groups")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_PHDR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_GROUP_NOT_REL_IDX \
+   + sizeof "only relocatable files can contain section groups")
+  N_("program header only allowed in executables, shared objects, and \
+core files")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NO_PHDR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_PHDR_IDX \
+   + sizeof "program header only allowed in executables, shared objects, and \
+core files")
+  N_("file has no program header")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_OFFSET_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NO_PHDR_IDX \
+   + sizeof "file has no program header")
+  N_("invalid offset")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_TYPE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_OFFSET_IDX \
+   + sizeof "invalid offset")
+  N_("invalid section type")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_FLAGS_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_TYPE_IDX \
+   + sizeof "invalid section type")
+  N_("invalid section flags")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_NOT_COMPRESSED_IDX		\
+  (ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_FLAGS_IDX			\
+   + sizeof "invalid section flags")
+  N_("section does not contain compressed data")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_ALREADY_COMPRESSED_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_NOT_COMPRESSED_IDX \
+   + sizeof "section does not contain compressed data")
+  N_("section contains compressed data")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_UNKNOWN_COMPRESSION_TYPE_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_ALREADY_COMPRESSED_IDX \
+   + sizeof "section contains compressed data")
+  N_("unknown compression type")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_COMPRESS_ERROR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_UNKNOWN_COMPRESSION_TYPE_IDX \
+   + sizeof "unknown compression type")
+  N_("cannot compress data")
+  "\0"
+#define ELF_E_DECOMPRESS_ERROR_IDX \
+  (ELF_E_COMPRESS_ERROR_IDX \
+   + sizeof "cannot compress data")
+  N_("cannot decompress data")
+};
+
+
+static const uint_fast16_t msgidx[ELF_E_NUM] =
+{
+  [ELF_E_NOERROR] = ELF_E_NOERROR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_UNKNOWN_ERROR] = ELF_E_UNKNOWN_ERROR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_UNKNOWN_VERSION] = ELF_E_UNKNOWN_VERSION_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_UNKNOWN_TYPE] = ELF_E_UNKNOWN_TYPE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_HANDLE] = ELF_E_INVALID_HANDLE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_SOURCE_SIZE] = ELF_E_SOURCE_SIZE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_DEST_SIZE] = ELF_E_DEST_SIZE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_ENCODING] = ELF_E_INVALID_ENCODING_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NOMEM] = ELF_E_NOMEM_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_FILE] = ELF_E_INVALID_FILE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_ELF] = ELF_E_INVALID_ELF_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_OP] = ELF_E_INVALID_OP_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NO_VERSION] = ELF_E_NO_VERSION_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_CMD] = ELF_E_INVALID_CMD_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_RANGE] = ELF_E_RANGE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_ARCHIVE_FMAG] = ELF_E_ARCHIVE_FMAG_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_ARCHIVE] = ELF_E_INVALID_ARCHIVE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NO_ARCHIVE] = ELF_E_NO_ARCHIVE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NO_INDEX] = ELF_E_NO_INDEX_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_READ_ERROR] = ELF_E_READ_ERROR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_WRITE_ERROR] = ELF_E_WRITE_ERROR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_CLASS] = ELF_E_INVALID_CLASS_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX] = ELF_E_INVALID_INDEX_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_OPERAND] = ELF_E_INVALID_OPERAND_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION] = ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_COMMAND] = ELF_E_INVALID_COMMAND_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_WRONG_ORDER_EHDR] = ELF_E_WRONG_ORDER_EHDR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_FD_DISABLED] = ELF_E_FD_DISABLED_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_FD_MISMATCH] = ELF_E_FD_MISMATCH_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_OFFSET_RANGE] = ELF_E_OFFSET_RANGE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NOT_NUL_SECTION] = ELF_E_NOT_NUL_SECTION_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_DATA_MISMATCH] = ELF_E_DATA_MISMATCH_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_HEADER] = ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_HEADER_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_DATA] = ELF_E_INVALID_DATA_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_DATA_ENCODING] = ELF_E_DATA_ENCODING_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_SECTION_TOO_SMALL] = ELF_E_SECTION_TOO_SMALL_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_ALIGN] = ELF_E_INVALID_ALIGN_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_SHENTSIZE] = ELF_E_INVALID_SHENTSIZE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_UPDATE_RO] = ELF_E_UPDATE_RO_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NOFILE] = ELF_E_NOFILE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_GROUP_NOT_REL] = ELF_E_GROUP_NOT_REL_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_PHDR] = ELF_E_INVALID_PHDR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NO_PHDR] = ELF_E_NO_PHDR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_OFFSET] = ELF_E_INVALID_OFFSET_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_TYPE] = ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_TYPE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_FLAGS] = ELF_E_INVALID_SECTION_FLAGS_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_NOT_COMPRESSED] = ELF_E_NOT_COMPRESSED_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_ALREADY_COMPRESSED] = ELF_E_ALREADY_COMPRESSED_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_UNKNOWN_COMPRESSION_TYPE] = ELF_E_UNKNOWN_COMPRESSION_TYPE_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_COMPRESS_ERROR] = ELF_E_COMPRESS_ERROR_IDX,
+  [ELF_E_DECOMPRESS_ERROR] = ELF_E_DECOMPRESS_ERROR_IDX
+};
+#define nmsgidx ((int) (sizeof (msgidx) / sizeof (msgidx[0])))
+
+
+void
+internal_function
+__libelf_seterrno (int value)
+{
+  global_error = value >= 0 && value < nmsgidx ? value : ELF_E_UNKNOWN_ERROR;
+}
+
+
+const char *
+elf_errmsg (int error)
+{
+  int last_error = global_error;
+
+  if (error == 0)
+    {
+      assert (msgidx[last_error] < sizeof (msgstr));
+      return last_error != 0 ? _(msgstr + msgidx[last_error]) : NULL;
+    }
+  else if (error < -1 || error >= nmsgidx)
+    return _(msgstr + ELF_E_UNKNOWN_ERROR_IDX);
+
+  assert (msgidx[error == -1 ? last_error : error] < sizeof (msgstr));
+  return _(msgstr + msgidx[error == -1 ? last_error : error]);
+}