diff --git a/src/core/reactor.ts b/src/core/reactor.ts
index 075e863a..603a568e 100644
--- a/src/core/reactor.ts
+++ b/src/core/reactor.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,18 @@ export interface Call<A, R> extends Write<A>, Read<R> {
   invoke: (args: A) => R | undefined;
 }
 
+export enum CanConnectResult {
+  SUCCESS = 0,
+  SELF_LOOP = "Source port and destination port are the same.",
+  DESTINATION_OCCUPIED = "Destination port is already occupied.",
+  DOWNSTREAM_WRITE_CONFLICT = "Write conflict: port is already occupied.",
+  NOT_IN_SCOPE = "Source and destination ports are not in scope.",
+  RT_CONNECTION_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER = "New connection is outside of container.",
+  RT_DIRECT_FEED_THROUGH = "New connection introduces direct feed through.",
+  RT_CYCLE = "New connection introduces cycle.",
+  MUTATION_CAUSALITY_LOOP = "New connection will change the causal effect of the mutation that triggered this connection."
+}
+
 /**
  * Abstract class for a schedulable action. It is intended as a wrapper for a
  * regular action. In addition to a get method, it also has a schedule method
@@ -1091,10 +1103,13 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
    * @param src The start point of a new connection.
    * @param dst The end point of a new connection.
    */
-  public canConnect<R, S extends R>(src: IOPort<S>, dst: IOPort<R>): boolean {
+  public canConnect<R, S extends R>(
+    src: IOPort<S>,
+    dst: IOPort<R>
+  ): CanConnectResult {
     // Immediate rule out trivial self loops.
     if (src === dst) {
-      throw Error("Source port and destination port are the same.");
+      return CanConnectResult.SELF_LOOP;
     }
 
     // Check the race condition
@@ -1102,7 +1117,7 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
     //     in addReaction)
     const deps = this._dependencyGraph.getUpstreamNeighbors(dst); // FIXME this will change with multiplex ports
     if (deps !== undefined && deps.size > 0) {
-      throw Error("Destination port is already occupied.");
+      return CanConnectResult.DESTINATION_OCCUPIED;
     }
 
     if (!this._runtime.isRunning()) {
@@ -1114,10 +1129,13 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
       // Rule out write conflicts.
       //   - (between reactors)
       if (this._dependencyGraph.getDownstreamNeighbors(dst).size > 0) {
-        return false;
+        return CanConnectResult.DOWNSTREAM_WRITE_CONFLICT;
       }
 
-      return this._isInScope(src, dst);
+      if (!this._isInScope(src, dst)) {
+        return CanConnectResult.NOT_IN_SCOPE;
+      }
+      return CanConnectResult.SUCCESS;
     } else {
       // Attempt to make a connection while executing.
       // Check the local dependency graph to figure out whether this change
@@ -1131,7 +1149,7 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
         src._isContainedBy(this) &&
         dst._isContainedBy(this)
       ) {
-        throw Error("New connection is outside of container.");
+        return CanConnectResult.RT_CONNECTION_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER;
       }
 
       // Take the local graph and merge in all the causality interfaces
@@ -1148,23 +1166,21 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
 
       // 1) check for loops
       const hasCycle = graph.hasCycle();
+      if (hasCycle) {
+        return CanConnectResult.RT_CYCLE;
+      }
 
       // 2) check for direct feed through.
       // FIXME: This doesn't handle while direct feed thorugh cases.
-      let hasDirectFeedThrough = false;
-      if (src instanceof InPort && dst instanceof OutPort) {
-        hasDirectFeedThrough = dst.getContainer() === src.getContainer();
-      }
-      // Throw error cases
-      if (hasDirectFeedThrough && hasCycle) {
-        throw Error("New connection introduces direct feed through and cycle.");
-      } else if (hasCycle) {
-        throw Error("New connection introduces cycle.");
-      } else if (hasDirectFeedThrough) {
-        throw Error("New connection introduces direct feed through.");
+      if (
+        src instanceof InPort &&
+        dst instanceof OutPort &&
+        dst.getContainer() === src.getContainer()
+      ) {
+        return CanConnectResult.RT_DIRECT_FEED_THROUGH;
       }
 
-      return true;
+      return CanConnectResult.SUCCESS;
     }
   }
 
@@ -1258,11 +1274,14 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
     if (dst === undefined || dst === null) {
       throw new Error("Cannot connect unspecified destination");
     }
-    if (this.canConnect(src, dst)) {
-      this._uncheckedConnect(src, dst);
-    } else {
-      throw new Error(`ERROR connecting ${src} to ${dst}`);
+    const canConnectResult = this.canConnect(src, dst);
+    // I know, this looks a bit weird. But
+    if (canConnectResult !== CanConnectResult.SUCCESS) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `ERROR connecting ${src} to ${dst}. Reason is ${canConnectResult.valueOf()}`
+      );
     }
+    this._uncheckedConnect(src, dst);
   }
 
   protected _connectMulti<R, S extends R>(
@@ -1316,7 +1335,8 @@ export abstract class Reactor extends Component {
     }
 
     for (let i = 0; i < leftPorts.length && i < rightPorts.length; i++) {
-      if (!this.canConnect(leftPorts[i], rightPorts[i])) {
+      const canConnectResult = this.canConnect(leftPorts[i], rightPorts[i]);
+      if (canConnectResult !== CanConnectResult.SUCCESS) {
         throw new Error(
           `ERROR connecting ${leftPorts[i]} 
                     to ${rightPorts[i]}