diff --git a/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp b/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp
index 98ea2cd..1268743 100644
--- a/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp
+++ b/include/i3ipc++/ipc.hpp
@@ -287,6 +287,8 @@ public:
 	 */
 	bool  send_command(const std::string&  command) const;
 
+	bool  send_command(const std::string& command, std::optional<std::string>& error_info) const;
+
 	/**
 	 * Request a list of workspaces
 	 * @return List of workspaces
diff --git a/src/ipc.cpp b/src/ipc.cpp
index 941aa9b..02af414 100644
--- a/src/ipc.cpp
+++ b/src/ipc.cpp
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<bar_config_t>  connection::get_bar_config(const std::string&  na
 }
 
 
-bool  connection::send_command(const std::string&  command) const {
+bool  connection::send_command(const std::string& command, std::optional<std::string>& error_info) const {
 #define i3IPC_TYPE_STR "COMMAND"
 	auto  buf = i3_msg(m_main_socket, ClientMessageType::COMMAND, command);
 	Json::Value  root;
@@ -646,13 +646,25 @@ bool  connection::send_command(const std::string&  command) const {
 	} else {
 		Json::Value  error = payload["error"];
 		if (!error.isNull()) {
-			I3IPC_ERR("Failed to execute command: " << error.asString())
+			error_info = error.asString();
+		} else {
+			error_info.reset();
 		}
 		return false;
 	}
 #undef i3IPC_TYPE_STR
 }
 
+
+bool  connection::send_command(const std::string&  command) const {
+	std::optional<std::string> error_info{};
+	bool result = send_command(command, error_info);
+	if (!error_info.has_value()) {
+		I3IPC_ERR("Failed to execute command: " << error_info.value());
+	}
+	return result;
+}
+
 int32_t  connection::get_main_socket_fd() { return m_main_socket; }
 
 int32_t  connection::get_event_socket_fd() { return m_event_socket; }