diff --git a/lib/mbtiles.js b/lib/mbtiles.js
index 93f7c91..0b3bca5 100644
--- a/lib/mbtiles.js
+++ b/lib/mbtiles.js
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ function MBTiles(uri, callback) {
     }
 
     var mbtiles = cache[key];
-    if (!mbtiles.open) {
+    if (!mbtiles.open && !mbtiles.error) {
         mbtiles.once('open', callback);
     } else {
-        callback(null, mbtiles);
+        callback(mbtiles.error || null, mbtiles);
     }
     return undefined;
 }
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ MBTiles.prototype._open = function(uri) {
     var mbtiles = this;
     function error(err) {
         process.nextTick(function() {
+            mbtiles.error = err;
             mbtiles.emit('open', err);
         });
     }