diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/Thrift.h b/lib/cpp/src/Thrift.h
index 0134d48..338dbde 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/Thrift.h
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/Thrift.h
@@ -126,13 +126,13 @@
   virtual const char* what() const throw() {
     if (message_.empty()) {
       switch (type_) {
-        case UNKNOWN_METHOD: return "Unknown method";
-        case INVALID_MESSAGE_TYPE: return "Invalid message type";
-        case WRONG_METHOD_NAME: return "Wrong method name";
-        case BAD_SEQUENCE_ID: return "Bad sequence identifier";
-        case MISSING_RESULT: return "Missing result";
-
-        default: return "Default TApplicationException.";
+        case UNKNOWN              : return "TApplicationException: Unknown application exception";
+        case UNKNOWN_METHOD       : return "TApplicationException: Unknown method";
+        case INVALID_MESSAGE_TYPE : return "TApplicationException: Invalid message type";
+        case WRONG_METHOD_NAME    : return "TApplicationException: Wrong method name";
+        case BAD_SEQUENCE_ID      : return "TApplicationException: Bad sequence identifier";
+        case MISSING_RESULT       : return "TApplicationException: Missing result";
+        default                   : return "TApplicationException: (Invalid exception type)";
       };
     } else {
       return message_.c_str();
diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/protocol/TProtocolException.h b/lib/cpp/src/protocol/TProtocolException.h
index 2d542a0..4429a62 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/protocol/TProtocolException.h
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/protocol/TProtocolException.h
@@ -66,8 +66,15 @@
 
   virtual const char* what() const throw() {
     if (message_.empty()) {
-      return (std::string("Default Protocol Exception: ") +
-        boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(type_)).c_str();
+      switch (type_) {
+        case UNKNOWN         : return "TProtocolException: Unknown protocol exception";
+        case INVALID_DATA    : return "TProtocolException: Invalid data";
+        case NEGATIVE_SIZE   : return "TProtocolException: Negative size";
+        case SIZE_LIMIT      : return "TProtocolException: Exceeded size limit";
+        case BAD_VERSION     : return "TProtocolException: Invalid version";
+        case NOT_IMPLEMENTED : return "TProtocolException: Not implemented";
+        default              : return "TProtocolException: (Invalid exception type)";
+      }
     } else {
       return message_.c_str();
     }
diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/transport/TTransportException.h b/lib/cpp/src/transport/TTransportException.h
index 9b75826..c21719b 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/transport/TTransportException.h
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/transport/TTransportException.h
@@ -75,8 +75,18 @@
 
   virtual const char* what() const throw() {
     if (message_.empty()) {
-      return (std::string("Default Transport Exception: ") +
-        boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(type_)).c_str();
+      switch (type_) {
+        case UNKNOWN        : return "TTransportException: Unknown transport exception";
+        case NOT_OPEN       : return "TTransportException: Transport not open";
+        case ALREADY_OPEN   : return "TTransportException: Transport already open";
+        case TIMED_OUT      : return "TTransportException: Timed out";
+        case END_OF_FILE    : return "TTransportException: End of file";
+        case INTERRUPTED    : return "TTransportException: Interrupted";
+        case BAD_ARGS       : return "TTransportException: Invalid arguments";
+        case CORRUPTED_DATA : return "TTransportException: Corrupted Data";
+        case INTERNAL_ERROR : return "TTransportException: Internal error";
+        default             : return "TTransportException: (Invalid exception type)";
+      }
     } else {
       return message_.c_str();
     }