diff --git a/graphql/handler/transport/websocket.go b/graphql/handler/transport/websocket.go
index db6542c701..51b1104ccc 100644
--- a/graphql/handler/transport/websocket.go
+++ b/graphql/handler/transport/websocket.go
@@ -44,12 +44,29 @@ type (
 	}
 
 	WebsocketInitFunc  func(ctx context.Context, initPayload InitPayload) (context.Context, error)
-	WebsocketErrorFunc func(ctx context.Context, err error, isOnRead bool)
+	WebsocketErrorFunc func(ctx context.Context, err error)
 )
 
 var errReadTimeout = errors.New("read timeout")
 
-var _ graphql.Transport = Websocket{}
+type WebsocketError struct {
+	Err error
+
+	// IsReadError flags whether the error occurred on read or write to the websocket
+	IsReadError bool
+}
+
+func (e WebsocketError) Error() string {
+	if e.IsReadError {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("websocket read: %v", e.Err)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("websocket write: %v", e.Err)
+}
+
+var (
+	_ graphql.Transport = Websocket{}
+	_ error             = WebsocketError{}
+)
 
 func (t Websocket) Supports(r *http.Request) bool {
 	return r.Header.Get("Upgrade") != ""
@@ -94,9 +111,12 @@ func (t Websocket) Do(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, exec graphql.Graph
 	conn.run()
 }
 
-func (c *wsConnection) handlePossibleError(err error, isOnRead bool) {
+func (c *wsConnection) handlePossibleError(err error, isReadError bool) {
 	if c.ErrorFunc != nil && err != nil {
-		c.ErrorFunc(c.ctx, err, isOnRead)
+		c.ErrorFunc(c.ctx, WebsocketError{
+			Err:         err,
+			IsReadError: isReadError,
+		})
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/graphql/handler/transport/websocket_test.go b/graphql/handler/transport/websocket_test.go
index 9fddb28dc0..fb2a07bf8c 100644
--- a/graphql/handler/transport/websocket_test.go
+++ b/graphql/handler/transport/websocket_test.go
@@ -354,10 +354,11 @@ func TestWebSocketErrorFunc(t *testing.T) {
 		errFuncCalled := make(chan bool, 1)
 		h := testserver.New()
 		h.AddTransport(transport.Websocket{
-			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error, isOnRead bool) {
+			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error) {
 				require.Error(t, err)
-				assert.Equal(t, err.Error(), "invalid message received")
-				assert.True(t, isOnRead)
+				assert.Equal(t, err.Error(), "websocket read: invalid message received")
+				assert.IsType(t, transport.WebsocketError{}, err)
+				assert.True(t, err.(transport.WebsocketError).IsReadError)
 				errFuncCalled <- true
 			},
 		})
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ func TestWebSocketErrorFunc(t *testing.T) {
 			InitFunc: func(ctx context.Context, _ transport.InitPayload) (context.Context, error) {
 				return ctx, errors.New("this is not what we agreed upon")
 			},
-			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error, isOnRead bool) {
+			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error) {
 				assert.Fail(t, "the error handler got called when it shouldn't have", "error: "+err.Error())
 			},
 		})
@@ -405,7 +406,7 @@ func TestWebSocketErrorFunc(t *testing.T) {
 				time.AfterFunc(time.Millisecond*5, cancel)
 				return newCtx, nil
 			},
-			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error, isOnRead bool) {
+			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error) {
 				assert.Fail(t, "the error handler got called when it shouldn't have", "error: "+err.Error())
 			},
 		})
@@ -427,7 +428,7 @@ func TestWebSocketErrorFunc(t *testing.T) {
 				newCtx, cancel = context.WithDeadline(ctx, time.Now().Add(time.Millisecond*5))
 				return newCtx, nil
 			},
-			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error, isOnRead bool) {
+			ErrorFunc: func(_ context.Context, err error) {
 				assert.Fail(t, "the error handler got called when it shouldn't have", "error: "+err.Error())
 			},
 		})