diff --git a/bao/bao.go b/bao/bao.go
index e11cb0e..6af13cf 100644
--- a/bao/bao.go
+++ b/bao/bao.go
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ func (v *Verifier) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
 			return n, err // Return any read error immediately
 		}
 
-		if !bao.Verify(buf[:bytesRead], v.read, v.proof.Proof, v.proof.Hash) {
-			return n, ErrVerifyFailed
+		if status, err := bao.Verify(buf[:bytesRead], v.read, v.proof.Proof, v.proof.Hash); err != nil || !status {
+			return n, errors.Join(ErrVerifyFailed, err)
 		}
 
 		v.read += uint64(bytesRead)
diff --git a/bao/plugin.go b/bao/plugin.go
index d24c0a3..71b73ca 100644
--- a/bao/plugin.go
+++ b/bao/plugin.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package bao
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 
 	"github.com/docker/go-units"
 
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ type Bao interface {
 	NewHasher() uuid.UUID
 	Hash(id uuid.UUID, data []byte) bool
 	Finish(id uuid.UUID) Result
-	Verify(data []byte, offset uint64, proof []byte, hash []byte) bool
+	Verify(data []byte, offset uint64, proof []byte, hash []byte) (bool, error)
 }
 
 type BaoPlugin struct {
@@ -79,12 +80,16 @@ func (b *BaoGRPC) Finish(id uuid.UUID) Result {
 	return Result{Hash: ret.Hash, Proof: ret.Proof}
 }
 
-func (b *BaoGRPC) Verify(data []byte, offset uint64, proof []byte, hash []byte) bool {
+func (b *BaoGRPC) Verify(data []byte, offset uint64, proof []byte, hash []byte) (bool, error) {
 	ret, err := b.client.Verify(context.Background(), &proto.VerifyRequest{Data: data, Offset: offset, Proof: proof, Hash: hash})
 
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return false, err
 	}
 
-	return ret.Status
+	if ret.Error != "" {
+		err = errors.New(ret.Error)
+	}
+
+	return ret.Status, err
 }
diff --git a/bao/proto/bao.proto b/bao/proto/bao.proto
index fc0641a..e2e01d0 100644
--- a/bao/proto/bao.proto
+++ b/bao/proto/bao.proto
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ message VerifyRequest {
 
 message VerifyResponse {
     bool status = 1;
+    string error = 2;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/bao/rust/src/main.rs b/bao/rust/src/main.rs
index 4af6543..28fc56e 100644
--- a/bao/rust/src/main.rs
+++ b/bao/rust/src/main.rs
@@ -80,12 +80,16 @@ impl Bao for BaoService {
         );
 
         if res.is_err() {
+
             Ok(Response::new(VerifyResponse {
                 status: false,
+                error: res.unwrap_err().to_string(),
+
             }))
         } else {
             Ok(Response::new(VerifyResponse {
                 status: true,
+                error: String::from(""),
             }))
         }
     }