diff --git a/adb/adb.h b/adb/adb.h
index 357be513f..309b0e9bc 100644
--- a/adb/adb.h
+++ b/adb/adb.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 
 #include <base/macros.h>
 
+#include <string>
+
 #include "adb_trace.h"
 #include "fdevent.h"
 
@@ -357,8 +359,8 @@ void put_apacket(apacket *p);
 
 
 void local_init(int port);
-int  local_connect(int  port);
-int  local_connect_arbitrary_ports(int console_port, int adb_port);
+void local_connect(int port);
+int  local_connect_arbitrary_ports(int console_port, int adb_port, std::string* error);
 
 /* usb host/client interface */
 void usb_init();
diff --git a/adb/adb_client.cpp b/adb/adb_client.cpp
index 75e888d49..418662c4d 100644
--- a/adb/adb_client.cpp
+++ b/adb/adb_client.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@
 
 #include <base/stringprintf.h>
 #include <base/strings.h>
+#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 
 #include "adb_io.h"
+#include "adb_utils.h"
 
 static TransportType __adb_transport = kTransportAny;
 static const char* __adb_serial = NULL;
@@ -152,13 +154,20 @@ int _adb_connect(const std::string& service, std::string* error) {
 
     int fd;
     if (__adb_server_name) {
-        fd = socket_network_client(__adb_server_name, __adb_server_port, SOCK_STREAM);
+        std::string reason;
+        fd = network_connect(__adb_server_name, __adb_server_port, SOCK_STREAM, 0, &reason);
+        if (fd == -1) {
+            *error = android::base::StringPrintf("can't connect to %s:%d: %s",
+                                                 __adb_server_name, __adb_server_port,
+                                                 reason.c_str());
+            return -2;
+        }
     } else {
         fd = socket_loopback_client(__adb_server_port, SOCK_STREAM);
-    }
-    if (fd < 0) {
-        *error = perror_str("cannot connect to daemon");
-        return -2;
+        if (fd == -1) {
+            *error = perror_str("cannot connect to daemon");
+            return -2;
+        }
     }
 
     if (memcmp(&service[0],"host",4) != 0 && switch_socket_transport(fd, error)) {
diff --git a/adb/adb_listeners.cpp b/adb/adb_listeners.cpp
index a15c513fe..bb45022cb 100644
--- a/adb/adb_listeners.cpp
+++ b/adb/adb_listeners.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include <base/stringprintf.h>
+#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 
 #include "sysdeps.h"
 #include "transport.h"
diff --git a/adb/adb_utils.cpp b/adb/adb_utils.cpp
index e2af045b1..3846c2112 100644
--- a/adb/adb_utils.cpp
+++ b/adb/adb_utils.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "adb_utils.h"
 
+#include <netdb.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <base/logging.h>
 #include <base/stringprintf.h>
 #include <base/strings.h>
+#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 
 #include "adb_trace.h"
 #include "sysdeps.h"
@@ -158,3 +160,18 @@ bool parse_host_and_port(const std::string& address,
                << " (" << *canonical_address << ")";
     return true;
 }
+
+int network_connect(const std::string& host, int port, int type, int timeout, std::string* error) {
+    int getaddrinfo_error = 0;
+    int fd = socket_network_client_timeout(host.c_str(), port, type, timeout, &getaddrinfo_error);
+    if (fd != -1) {
+        return fd;
+    }
+    if (getaddrinfo_error != 0) {
+        // TODO: not thread safe on Win32.
+        *error = gai_strerror(getaddrinfo_error);
+    } else {
+        *error = strerror(errno);
+    }
+    return -1;
+}
diff --git a/adb/adb_utils.h b/adb/adb_utils.h
index e0aa1ba73..d1a3f5f8f 100644
--- a/adb/adb_utils.h
+++ b/adb/adb_utils.h
@@ -39,4 +39,6 @@ bool parse_host_and_port(const std::string& address,
                          std::string* host, int* port,
                          std::string* error);
 
+int network_connect(const std::string& host, int port, int type, int timeout, std::string* error);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/adb/console.cpp b/adb/console.cpp
index 07079609c..b7f53458e 100644
--- a/adb/console.cpp
+++ b/adb/console.cpp
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-#include "base/file.h"
-#include "base/logging.h"
-#include "base/strings.h"
+#include <base/file.h>
+#include <base/logging.h>
+#include <base/strings.h>
+#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 
 #include "adb.h"
 #include "adb_client.h"
diff --git a/adb/jdwp_service.cpp b/adb/jdwp_service.cpp
index a2e0f88fd..06e778029 100644
--- a/adb/jdwp_service.cpp
+++ b/adb/jdwp_service.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
diff --git a/adb/services.cpp b/adb/services.cpp
index 2e3ad98a5..82efb1c04 100644
--- a/adb/services.cpp
+++ b/adb/services.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <base/file.h>
 #include <base/stringprintf.h>
 #include <base/strings.h>
+#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 
 #if !ADB_HOST
 #include "cutils/android_reboot.h"
@@ -436,7 +437,8 @@ int service_to_fd(const char *name)
                 disable_tcp_nagle(ret);
         } else {
 #if ADB_HOST
-            ret = socket_network_client(name + 1, port, SOCK_STREAM);
+            std::string error;
+            ret = network_connect(name + 1, port, SOCK_STREAM, 0, &error);
 #else
             return -1;
 #endif
@@ -555,10 +557,11 @@ static void connect_device(const std::string& address, std::string* response) {
         return;
     }
 
-    int fd = socket_network_client_timeout(host.c_str(), port, SOCK_STREAM, 10);
+    std::string error;
+    int fd = network_connect(host.c_str(), port, SOCK_STREAM, 10, &error);
     if (fd == -1) {
         *response = android::base::StringPrintf("unable to connect to %s: %s",
-                                                serial.c_str(), strerror(errno));
+                                                serial.c_str(), error.c_str());
         return;
     }
 
@@ -612,12 +615,13 @@ void connect_emulator(const std::string& port_spec, std::string* response) {
     }
 
     // Preconditions met, try to connect to the emulator.
-    if (!local_connect_arbitrary_ports(console_port, adb_port)) {
+    std::string error;
+    if (!local_connect_arbitrary_ports(console_port, adb_port, &error)) {
         *response = android::base::StringPrintf("Connected to emulator on ports %d,%d",
                                                 console_port, adb_port);
     } else {
-        *response = android::base::StringPrintf("Could not connect to emulator on ports %d,%d",
-                                                console_port, adb_port);
+        *response = android::base::StringPrintf("Could not connect to emulator on ports %d,%d: %s",
+                                                console_port, adb_port, error.c_str());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/adb/sysdeps.h b/adb/sysdeps.h
index 5efdab5ba..c051eb324 100644
--- a/adb/sysdeps.h
+++ b/adb/sysdeps.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #  undef _WIN32
 #endif
 
+#include <errno.h>
+
 /*
  * TEMP_FAILURE_RETRY is defined by some, but not all, versions of
  * <unistd.h>. (Alas, it is not as standard as we'd hoped!) So, if it's
@@ -187,9 +189,6 @@ extern void*  load_file(const char*  pathname, unsigned*  psize);
 
 /* normally provided by <cutils/sockets.h> */
 extern int socket_loopback_client(int port, int type);
-extern int socket_network_client(const char *host, int port, int type);
-extern int socket_network_client_timeout(const char *host, int port, int type,
-                                         int timeout);
 extern int socket_loopback_server(int port, int type);
 extern int socket_inaddr_any_server(int port, int type);
 
@@ -274,7 +273,6 @@ static __inline__  int  adb_is_absolute_host_path( const char*  path )
 #else /* !_WIN32 a.k.a. Unix */
 
 #include "fdevent.h"
-#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 #include <cutils/misc.h>
 #include <cutils/threads.h>
 #include <signal.h>
diff --git a/adb/sysdeps_win32.cpp b/adb/sysdeps_win32.cpp
index bdc602775..91e14953f 100644
--- a/adb/sysdeps_win32.cpp
+++ b/adb/sysdeps_win32.cpp
@@ -668,55 +668,45 @@ int socket_loopback_server(int port, int type)
 }
 
 
-int socket_network_client(const char *host, int port, int type)
-{
+int socket_network_client_timeout(const char *host, int port, int type, int timeout,
+                                  std::string* error) {
     FH  f = _fh_alloc( &_fh_socket_class );
-    struct hostent *hp;
-    struct sockaddr_in addr;
-    SOCKET s;
+    if (!f) return -1;
 
-    if (!f)
-        return -1;
+    if (!_winsock_init) _init_winsock();
 
-    if (!_winsock_init)
-        _init_winsock();
-
-    hp = gethostbyname(host);
+    hostent* hp = gethostbyname(host);
     if(hp == 0) {
         _fh_close(f);
         return -1;
     }
 
+    sockaddr_in addr;
     memset(&addr, 0, sizeof(addr));
     addr.sin_family = hp->h_addrtype;
     addr.sin_port = htons(port);
     memcpy(&addr.sin_addr, hp->h_addr, hp->h_length);
 
-    s = socket(hp->h_addrtype, type, 0);
+    SOCKET s = socket(hp->h_addrtype, type, 0);
     if(s == INVALID_SOCKET) {
         _fh_close(f);
         return -1;
     }
     f->fh_socket = s;
 
+    // TODO: implement timeouts for Windows.
+
     if(connect(s, (struct sockaddr *) &addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0) {
         _fh_close(f);
         return -1;
     }
 
     snprintf( f->name, sizeof(f->name), "%d(net-client:%s%d)", _fh_to_int(f), type != SOCK_STREAM ? "udp:" : "", port );
-    D( "socket_network_client: host '%s' port %d type %s => fd %d\n", host, port, type != SOCK_STREAM ? "udp" : "tcp", _fh_to_int(f) );
+    D( "socket_network_client_timeout: host '%s' port %d type %s => fd %d\n", host, port, type != SOCK_STREAM ? "udp" : "tcp", _fh_to_int(f) );
     return _fh_to_int(f);
 }
 
 
-int socket_network_client_timeout(const char *host, int port, int type, int timeout)
-{
-    // TODO: implement timeouts for Windows.
-    return socket_network_client(host, port, type);
-}
-
-
 int socket_inaddr_any_server(int port, int type)
 {
     FH  f = _fh_alloc( &_fh_socket_class );
diff --git a/adb/transport_local.cpp b/adb/transport_local.cpp
index 1adc69e13..0dc9581dd 100644
--- a/adb/transport_local.cpp
+++ b/adb/transport_local.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
 #include <base/stringprintf.h>
+#include <cutils/sockets.h>
 
 #if !ADB_HOST
 #include "cutils/properties.h"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
 
 #include "adb.h"
 #include "adb_io.h"
+#include "adb_utils.h"
 
 #if ADB_HOST
 /* we keep a list of opened transports. The atransport struct knows to which
@@ -83,19 +85,18 @@ static int remote_write(apacket *p, atransport *t)
     return 0;
 }
 
-
-int local_connect(int port) {
-    return local_connect_arbitrary_ports(port-1, port);
+void local_connect(int port) {
+    std::string dummy;
+    local_connect_arbitrary_ports(port-1, port, &dummy);
 }
 
-int local_connect_arbitrary_ports(int console_port, int adb_port)
-{
-    int  fd = -1;
+int local_connect_arbitrary_ports(int console_port, int adb_port, std::string* error) {
+    int fd = -1;
 
 #if ADB_HOST
     const char *host = getenv("ADBHOST");
     if (host) {
-        fd = socket_network_client(host, adb_port, SOCK_STREAM);
+        fd = network_connect(host, adb_port, SOCK_STREAM, 0, error);
     }
 #endif
     if (fd < 0) {
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ static void *client_socket_thread(void *x)
     /* this is only done when ADB starts up. later, each new emulator */
     /* will send a message to ADB to indicate that is is starting up  */
     for ( ; count > 0; count--, port += 2 ) {
-        (void) local_connect(port);
+        local_connect(port);
     }
 #endif
     return 0;
diff --git a/include/cutils/sockets.h b/include/cutils/sockets.h
index f8076ca45..07d1351a9 100644
--- a/include/cutils/sockets.h
+++ b/include/cutils/sockets.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static inline int android_get_control_socket(const char *name)
 extern int socket_loopback_client(int port, int type);
 extern int socket_network_client(const char *host, int port, int type);
 extern int socket_network_client_timeout(const char *host, int port, int type,
-                                         int timeout);
+                                         int timeout, int* getaddrinfo_error);
 extern int socket_loopback_server(int port, int type);
 extern int socket_local_server(const char *name, int namespaceId, int type);
 extern int socket_local_server_bind(int s, const char *name, int namespaceId);
diff --git a/libcutils/socket_network_client.c b/libcutils/socket_network_client.c
index 261025425..3610f1b62 100644
--- a/libcutils/socket_network_client.c
+++ b/libcutils/socket_network_client.c
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@ static int toggle_O_NONBLOCK(int s) {
 // Connect to the given host and port.
 // 'timeout' is in seconds (0 for no timeout).
 // Returns a file descriptor or -1 on error.
-int socket_network_client_timeout(const char* host, int port, int type, int timeout) {
+// On error, check *getaddrinfo_error (for use with gai_strerror) first;
+// if that's 0, use errno instead.
+int socket_network_client_timeout(const char* host, int port, int type, int timeout,
+                                  int* getaddrinfo_error) {
     struct addrinfo hints;
     memset(&hints, 0, sizeof(hints));
     hints.ai_family = AF_UNSPEC;
@@ -51,7 +54,8 @@ int socket_network_client_timeout(const char* host, int port, int type, int time
     snprintf(port_str, sizeof(port_str), "%d", port);
 
     struct addrinfo* addrs;
-    if (getaddrinfo(host, port_str, &hints, &addrs) != 0) {
+    *getaddrinfo_error = getaddrinfo(host, port_str, &hints, &addrs);
+    if (getaddrinfo_error != 0) {
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -116,5 +120,6 @@ int socket_network_client_timeout(const char* host, int port, int type, int time
 }
 
 int socket_network_client(const char* host, int port, int type) {
-    return socket_network_client_timeout(host, port, type, 0);
+    int getaddrinfo_error;
+    return socket_network_client_timeout(host, port, type, 0, &getaddrinfo_error);
 }