diff --git a/authenticate.go b/authenticate.go
index 003fb48..ff609aa 100644
--- a/authenticate.go
+++ b/authenticate.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package gophercloud
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"github.com/racker/perigee"
 )
 
@@ -108,6 +109,20 @@
 	VersionId, VersionInfo, VersionList string
 }
 
+type AuthError struct {
+	StatusCode int
+}
+
+func (ae *AuthError) Error() string {
+	switch ae.StatusCode {
+	case 401:
+		return "Auth failed. Bad credentials."
+
+	default:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("Auth failed. Status code is: %s.", ae.StatusCode)
+	}
+}
+
 //
 func getAuthCredentials(options AuthOptions) Auth {
 	if options.ApiKey == "" {
@@ -143,7 +158,7 @@
 		return nil, ErrCredentials
 	}
 
-	err := perigee.Post(p.AuthEndpoint, perigee.Options{
+	resp, err := perigee.Request("POST", p.AuthEndpoint, perigee.Options{
 		CustomClient: c.httpClient,
 		ReqBody: &AuthContainer{
 			Auth: getAuthCredentials(options),
@@ -154,11 +169,21 @@
 			&access,
 		},
 	})
+
 	if err == nil {
-		access.options = options
-		access.provider = p
-		access.context = c
+		switch resp.StatusCode {
+		case 200:
+			access.options = options
+			access.provider = p
+			access.context = c
+
+		default:
+			err = &AuthError {
+				StatusCode: resp.StatusCode,
+			}
+		}
 	}
+
 	return access, err
 }
 
diff --git a/global_context.go b/global_context.go
index 45f06f8..89d283b 100644
--- a/global_context.go
+++ b/global_context.go
@@ -57,9 +57,11 @@
 // ActualResponseCode inspects a returned error, and discovers the actual response actual
 // response code that caused the error to be raised.
 func ActualResponseCode(e error) (int, error) {
-	err, ok := e.(*perigee.UnexpectedResponseCodeError)
-	if !ok {
-		return 0, ErrError
+	if err, typeOk := e.(*perigee.UnexpectedResponseCodeError); typeOk {
+		return err.Actual, nil
+	} else if err, typeOk := e.(*AuthError); typeOk{
+		return err.StatusCode, nil
 	}
-	return err.Actual, nil
+
+	return 0, ErrError
 }