diff --git a/Sources/CInotify/cinotify.h b/Sources/CInotify/cinotify.h
index 3a8b10e..8e217de 100644
--- a/Sources/CInotify/cinotify.h
+++ b/Sources/CInotify/cinotify.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <sys/inotify.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 static inline int cinotify_deinit(int fd) {
 	return close(fd);
@@ -14,12 +15,8 @@ static inline int cinotify_get_errno(void) {
 	return errno;
 }
 
-static inline char* get_error_message() {
-	int error_number = errno;
-	errno = 0;
-	char* error_message = strerror(error_number);
-	if (errno > 0) return NULL;
-	return error_message;
+static inline char* cinotify_error_message(int error_number) {
+	return strerror(error_number);
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift b/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift
index 390a43b..db810c5 100644
--- a/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift
+++ b/Sources/Inotify/InotifyError.swift
@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@ public enum InotifyError: Error, Sendable, CustomStringConvertible {
 	}
 
 	private func readableErrno(_ code: Int32) -> String {
-		if let cStr = get_error_message() {
-			return String(cString: cStr) + " (errno \(code))"
-		}
-		return "errno \(code)"
+		guard let message = cinotify_error_message(code) else { return "errno \(code)" }
+		return String(cString: message) + " (errno \(code))"
 	}
 }
diff --git a/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/InotifyErrorTests.swift b/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/InotifyErrorTests.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..510374d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/InotifyIntegrationTests/InotifyErrorTests.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import Testing
+@testable import Inotify
+
+@Suite("Error Description")
+struct InotifyErrorTests {
+	@Test func describesTheStoredErrnoAndNotTheCurrentOne() {
+		let error = InotifyError.addWatchFailed(path: "/watched", errno: 28)
+
+		#expect(error.description == "inotify_add_watch failed for '/watched': No space left on device (errno 28)")
+	}
+}