diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index e3a8fea9b..6b0d460aa 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 	* fix uTP edge case where udp socket buffer fills up
 	* fix nagle implementation in uTP
 
+	* improve error_code and error_category support in python bindings
 	* fix python binding for external_ip_alert
 
 0.16.14 release
diff --git a/bindings/python/src/error_code.cpp b/bindings/python/src/error_code.cpp
index 987d92973..97d884613 100644
--- a/bindings/python/src/error_code.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/src/error_code.cpp
@@ -32,17 +32,45 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 #include <boost/python.hpp>
 #include <libtorrent/error_code.hpp>
+#include <libtorrent/lazy_entry.hpp>
 
 using namespace boost::python;
 using namespace libtorrent;
+using boost::system::error_category;
 
 void bind_error_code()
 {
+    class_<boost::system::error_category, boost::noncopyable>("error_category", no_init)
+        .def("name", &error_category::name)
+        .def("message", &error_category::message)
+        .def(self == self)
+        .def(self < self)
+        .def(self != self)
+        ;
+
     class_<error_code>("error_code")
         .def(init<>())
         .def("message", &error_code::message)
         .def("value", &error_code::value)
         .def("clear", &error_code::clear)
+        .def("category", &error_code::category
+           , return_internal_reference<>())
+        .def("assign", &error_code::assign)
         ;
+
+    def("get_libtorrent_category", &get_libtorrent_category
+       , return_internal_reference<>());
+
+    def("get_http_category", &get_http_category
+       , return_internal_reference<>());
+
+    def("get_bdecode_category", &get_bdecode_category
+       , return_internal_reference<>());
+
+    def("generic_category", &boost::system::generic_category
+       , return_internal_reference<>());
+
+    def("system_category", &boost::system::system_category
+       , return_internal_reference<>());
 }