diff --git a/serde/src/de/impls.rs b/serde/src/de/impls.rs
index 7bb02491..8066ab9f 100644
--- a/serde/src/de/impls.rs
+++ b/serde/src/de/impls.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ impl Visitor for BoolVisitor {
         match s.trim() {
             "true" => Ok(true),
             "false" => Ok(false),
-            _ => Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Bool)),
+            _ => Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Bool)),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ macro_rules! impl_deserialize_num_method {
         {
             match FromPrimitive::$from_method(v) {
                 Some(v) => Ok(v),
-                None => Err(Error::type_mismatch($ty)),
+                None => Err(Error::invalid_type($ty)),
             }
         }
     }
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ impl<
         where E: Error,
     {
         str::FromStr::from_str(v.trim()).or_else(|_| {
-            Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Str))
+            Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Str))
         })
     }
 }
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ impl Visitor for CharVisitor {
         let mut iter = v.chars();
         if let Some(v) = iter.next() {
             if iter.next().is_some() {
-                Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Char))
+                Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Char))
             } else {
                 Ok(v)
             }
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ impl Visitor for StringVisitor {
     {
         match str::from_utf8(v) {
             Ok(s) => Ok(s.to_owned()),
-            Err(_) => Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::String)),
+            Err(_) => Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::String)),
         }
     }
 
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ impl Visitor for StringVisitor {
     {
         match String::from_utf8(v) {
             Ok(s) => Ok(s),
-            Err(_) => Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::String)),
+            Err(_) => Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::String)),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ impl<T> Deserialize for NonZero<T> where T: Deserialize + PartialEq + Zeroable +
     fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: &mut D) -> Result<NonZero<T>, D::Error> where D: Deserializer {
         let value = try!(Deserialize::deserialize(deserializer));
         if value == Zero::zero() {
-            return Err(Error::syntax("expected a non-zero value"))
+            return Err(Error::invalid_value("expected a non-zero value"))
         }
         unsafe {
             Ok(NonZero::new(value))
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ impl<T, E> Deserialize for Result<T, E> where T: Deserialize, E: Deserialize {
                             _ => {
                                 match str::from_utf8(value) {
                                     Ok(value) => Err(Error::unknown_field(value)),
-                                    Err(_) => Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::String)),
+                                    Err(_) => Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::String)),
                                 }
                             }
                         }
diff --git a/serde/src/de/mod.rs b/serde/src/de/mod.rs
index 21212f52..ef7baedc 100644
--- a/serde/src/de/mod.rs
+++ b/serde/src/de/mod.rs
@@ -12,44 +12,44 @@ mod from_primitive;
 /// `Deserializer` error.
 pub trait Error: Sized + error::Error {
     /// Raised when there is general error when deserializing a type.
-    fn syntax(msg: &str) -> Self;
-
-    /// Raised when a fixed sized sequence or map was passed in the wrong amount of arguments.
-    fn length_mismatch(_len: usize) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax("incorrect length")
-    }
-
-    /// Raised when a `Deserialize` was passed an incorrect type.
-    fn type_mismatch(_type: Type) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax("incorrect type")
-    }
-
-    /// Raised when a `Deserialize` was passed an incorrect value.
-    fn invalid_value(msg: &str) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax(msg)
-    }
+    fn custom(msg: String) -> Self;
 
     /// Raised when a `Deserialize` type unexpectedly hit the end of the stream.
     fn end_of_stream() -> Self;
 
+    /// Raised when a `Deserialize` was passed an incorrect type.
+    fn invalid_type(ty: Type) -> Self {
+        Error::custom(format!("Invalid type. Expected `{:?}`", ty))
+    }
+
+    /// Raised when a `Deserialize` was passed an incorrect value.
+    fn invalid_value(msg: &str) -> Self {
+        Error::custom(format!("Invalid value: {}", msg))
+    }
+
+    /// Raised when a fixed sized sequence or map was passed in the wrong amount of arguments.
+    fn invalid_length(len: usize) -> Self {
+        Error::custom(format!("Invalid length: {}", len))
+    }
+
     /// Raised when a `Deserialize` enum type received an unexpected variant.
     fn unknown_variant(field: &str) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax(&format!("Unknown variant `{}`", field))
+        Error::custom(format!("Unknown variant `{}`", field))
     }
 
     /// Raised when a `Deserialize` struct type received an unexpected struct field.
     fn unknown_field(field: &str) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax(&format!("Unknown field `{}`", field))
+        Error::custom(format!("Unknown field `{}`", field))
     }
 
     /// raised when a `deserialize` struct type did not receive a field.
     fn missing_field(field: &'static str) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax(&format!("Missing field `{}`", field))
+        Error::custom(format!("Missing field `{}`", field))
     }
 }
 
 /// `Type` represents all the primitive types that can be deserialized. This is used by
-/// `Error::kind_mismatch`.
+/// `Error::invalid_type`.
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]
 pub enum Type {
     /// Represents a `bool` type.
@@ -124,12 +124,18 @@ pub enum Type {
     /// Represents a struct type.
     Struct,
 
+    /// Represents a struct field name.
+    FieldName,
+
     /// Represents a tuple type.
     Tuple,
 
     /// Represents an `enum` type.
     Enum,
 
+    /// Represents an enum variant name.
+    VariantName,
+
     /// Represents a struct variant.
     StructVariant,
 
@@ -416,7 +422,7 @@ pub trait Deserializer {
                            _visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Self::Error>
         where V: EnumVisitor,
     {
-        Err(Error::syntax("expected an enum"))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Enum))
     }
 
     /// This method hints that the `Deserialize` type is expecting a `Vec<u8>`. This allows
@@ -460,7 +466,7 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_bool<E>(&mut self, _v: bool) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Bool))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Bool))
     }
 
     /// `visit_isize` deserializes a `isize` into a `Value`.
@@ -495,7 +501,7 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_i64<E>(&mut self, _v: i64) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::I64))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::I64))
     }
 
     /// `visit_usize` deserializes a `usize` into a `Value`.
@@ -530,7 +536,7 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_u64<E>(&mut self, _v: u64) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::U64))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::U64))
     }
 
     /// `visit_f32` deserializes a `f32` into a `Value`.
@@ -544,7 +550,7 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_f64<E>(&mut self, _v: f64) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::F64))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::F64))
     }
 
     /// `visit_char` deserializes a `char` into a `Value`.
@@ -561,7 +567,7 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_str<E>(&mut self, _v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Str))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Str))
     }
 
     /// `visit_string` deserializes a `String` into a `Value`.  This allows a deserializer to avoid
@@ -578,7 +584,7 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_unit<E>(&mut self) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Unit))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Unit))
     }
 
     /// `visit_unit_struct` deserializes a unit struct into a `Value`.
@@ -593,42 +599,42 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     fn visit_none<E>(&mut self) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Option))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Option))
     }
 
     /// `visit_some` deserializes a value into a `Value`.
     fn visit_some<D>(&mut self, _deserializer: &mut D) -> Result<Self::Value, D::Error>
         where D: Deserializer,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Option))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Option))
     }
 
     /// `visit_newtype_struct` deserializes a value into a `Value`.
     fn visit_newtype_struct<D>(&mut self, _deserializer: &mut D) -> Result<Self::Value, D::Error>
         where D: Deserializer,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::NewtypeStruct))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::NewtypeStruct))
     }
 
     /// `visit_bool` deserializes a `SeqVisitor` into a `Value`.
     fn visit_seq<V>(&mut self, _visitor: V) -> Result<Self::Value, V::Error>
         where V: SeqVisitor,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Seq))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Seq))
     }
 
     /// `visit_map` deserializes a `MapVisitor` into a `Value`.
     fn visit_map<V>(&mut self, _visitor: V) -> Result<Self::Value, V::Error>
         where V: MapVisitor,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Map))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Map))
     }
 
     /// `visit_bytes` deserializes a `&[u8]` into a `Value`.
     fn visit_bytes<E>(&mut self, _v: &[u8]) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::Bytes))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::Bytes))
     }
 
     /// `visit_byte_buf` deserializes a `Vec<u8>` into a `Value`.
@@ -799,7 +805,7 @@ pub trait VariantVisitor {
 
     /// `visit_unit` is called when deserializing a variant with no values.
     fn visit_unit(&mut self) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::UnitVariant))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::UnitVariant))
     }
 
     /// `visit_newtype` is called when deserializing a variant with a single value. By default this
@@ -818,7 +824,7 @@ pub trait VariantVisitor {
                       _visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Self::Error>
         where V: Visitor
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::TupleVariant))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::TupleVariant))
     }
 
     /// `visit_struct` is called when deserializing a struct-like variant.
@@ -827,7 +833,7 @@ pub trait VariantVisitor {
                        _visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Self::Error>
         where V: Visitor
     {
-        Err(Error::type_mismatch(Type::StructVariant))
+        Err(Error::invalid_type(Type::StructVariant))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/serde/src/de/value.rs b/serde/src/de/value.rs
index 3d084ba1..773c19df 100644
--- a/serde/src/de/value.rs
+++ b/serde/src/de/value.rs
@@ -24,17 +24,17 @@ use bytes;
 /// This represents all the possible errors that can occur using the `ValueDeserializer`.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Error {
-    /// The value had some syntatic error.
-    Syntax(String),
+    /// The value had some custom error.
+    Custom(String),
 
     /// The value had an incorrect type.
-    Type(de::Type),
+    InvalidType(de::Type),
 
     /// The value had an invalid length.
-    Length(usize),
+    InvalidLength(usize),
 
     /// The value is invalid and cannot be deserialized.
-    Value(String),
+    InvalidValue(String),
 
     /// EOF while deserializing a value.
     EndOfStream,
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 impl de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(msg: &str) -> Self { Error::Syntax(String::from(msg)) }
-    fn type_mismatch(type_: de::Type) -> Self { Error::Type(type_) }
-    fn length_mismatch(len: usize) -> Self { Error::Length(len) }
-    fn invalid_value(msg: &str) -> Self { Error::Value(msg.to_owned()) }
+    fn custom(msg: String) -> Self { Error::Custom(msg) }
     fn end_of_stream() -> Self { Error::EndOfStream }
+    fn invalid_type(ty: de::Type) -> Self { Error::InvalidType(ty) }
+    fn invalid_value(msg: &str) -> Self { Error::InvalidValue(msg.to_owned()) }
+    fn invalid_length(len: usize) -> Self { Error::InvalidLength(len) }
     fn unknown_variant(variant: &str) -> Self { Error::UnknownVariant(String::from(variant)) }
     fn unknown_field(field: &str) -> Self { Error::UnknownField(String::from(field)) }
     fn missing_field(field: &'static str) -> Self { Error::MissingField(field) }
@@ -63,12 +63,14 @@ impl de::Error for Error {
 impl fmt::Display for Error {
     fn fmt(&self, formatter: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> Result<(), fmt::Error> {
         match *self {
-            Error::Syntax(ref s) => write!(formatter, "Syntax error: {}", s),
-            Error::Type(ty) => write!(formatter, "Invalid type: {:?}", ty),
-            Error::Length(len) => write!(formatter, "Invalid length: {}", len),
-            Error::Value(ref value) => write!(formatter, "Invalid value: {}", value),
-            Error::EndOfStream => formatter.write_str("EndOfStreamError"),
-            Error::UnknownVariant(ref variant) => write!(formatter, "Unknown varian: {}", variant),
+            Error::Custom(ref s) => write!(formatter, "{}", s),
+            Error::EndOfStream => formatter.write_str("End of stream"),
+            Error::InvalidType(ty) => write!(formatter, "Invalid type, expected `{:?}`", ty),
+            Error::InvalidValue(ref value) => write!(formatter, "Invalid value: {}", value),
+            Error::InvalidLength(len) => write!(formatter, "Invalid length: {}", len),
+            Error::UnknownVariant(ref variant) => {
+                write!(formatter, "Unknown variant: {}", variant)
+            }
             Error::UnknownField(ref field) => write!(formatter, "Unknown field: {}", field),
             Error::MissingField(ref field) => write!(formatter, "Missing field: {}", field),
         }
@@ -348,7 +350,7 @@ impl<I, T, E> de::SeqVisitor for SeqDeserializer<I, E>
         if self.len == 0 {
             Ok(())
         } else {
-            Err(de::Error::length_mismatch(self.len))
+            Err(de::Error::invalid_length(self.len))
         }
     }
 
@@ -504,7 +506,9 @@ impl<I, K, V, E> de::MapVisitor for MapDeserializer<I, K, V, E>
                 let mut de = value.into_deserializer();
                 de::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de)
             }
-            None => Err(de::Error::syntax("expected a map value"))
+            None => {
+                Err(de::Error::end_of_stream())
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -512,7 +516,7 @@ impl<I, K, V, E> de::MapVisitor for MapDeserializer<I, K, V, E>
         if self.len == 0 {
             Ok(())
         } else {
-            Err(de::Error::length_mismatch(self.len))
+            Err(de::Error::invalid_length(self.len))
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/serde/src/ser/mod.rs b/serde/src/ser/mod.rs
index e700b44f..01368afb 100644
--- a/serde/src/ser/mod.rs
+++ b/serde/src/ser/mod.rs
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ pub mod impls;
 /// `Serializer` error.
 pub trait Error: Sized + error::Error {
     /// Raised when there is general error when deserializing a type.
-    fn syntax(msg: &str) -> Self;
+    fn custom(msg: String) -> Self;
 
     /// Raised when a `Serialize` was passed an incorrect value.
     fn invalid_value(msg: &str) -> Self {
-        Error::syntax(msg)
+        Error::custom(format!("invalid value: {}", msg))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/serde_codegen/src/de.rs b/serde_codegen/src/de.rs
index a94fd02b..ba05af6c 100644
--- a/serde_codegen/src/de.rs
+++ b/serde_codegen/src/de.rs
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ fn deserialize_field_visitor(
                             Ok(s) => self.visit_str(s),
                             _ => {
                                 Err(
-                                    ::serde::de::Error::syntax(
+                                    ::serde::de::Error::invalid_value(
                                         "could not convert a byte string to a String"
                                     )
                                 )
diff --git a/serde_tests/benches/bench_enum.rs b/serde_tests/benches/bench_enum.rs
index ecd3114b..0618e1f7 100644
--- a/serde_tests/benches/bench_enum.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/benches/bench_enum.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 impl serde::de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
 
     fn end_of_stream() -> Error { Error::EndOfStreamError }
 
diff --git a/serde_tests/benches/bench_map.rs b/serde_tests/benches/bench_map.rs
index ce25f3f1..f753953c 100644
--- a/serde_tests/benches/bench_map.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/benches/bench_map.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 impl serde::de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
 
     fn end_of_stream() -> Error { Error::EndOfStream }
 
diff --git a/serde_tests/benches/bench_struct.rs b/serde_tests/benches/bench_struct.rs
index 03ae4310..d8e62e23 100644
--- a/serde_tests/benches/bench_struct.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/benches/bench_struct.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 impl serde::de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
 
     fn end_of_stream() -> Error { Error::EndOfStream }
 
diff --git a/serde_tests/benches/bench_vec.rs b/serde_tests/benches/bench_vec.rs
index 3ce1cc32..eac501aa 100644
--- a/serde_tests/benches/bench_vec.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/benches/bench_vec.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 impl serde::de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
 
     fn end_of_stream() -> Error { Error::EndOfStreamError }
 
diff --git a/serde_tests/tests/test_bytes.rs b/serde_tests/tests/test_bytes.rs
index 785ff550..93fe9705 100644
--- a/serde_tests/tests/test_bytes.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/tests/test_bytes.rs
@@ -10,19 +10,13 @@ use serde::bytes::{ByteBuf, Bytes};
 struct Error;
 
 impl serde::ser::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error }
-
-    fn invalid_value(_field: &str) -> Error { Error }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error }
 }
 
 impl serde::de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error }
 
     fn end_of_stream() -> Error { Error }
-
-    fn unknown_field(_field: &str) -> Error { Error }
-
-    fn missing_field(_field: &'static str) -> Error { Error }
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for Error {
diff --git a/serde_tests/tests/token.rs b/serde_tests/tests/token.rs
index 11c0dc8e..16be21b1 100644
--- a/serde_tests/tests/token.rs
+++ b/serde_tests/tests/token.rs
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 impl ser::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
 
     fn invalid_value(msg: &str) -> Error {
         Error::InvalidValue(msg.to_owned())
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ impl ser::Error for Error {
 }
 
 impl de::Error for Error {
-    fn syntax(_: &str) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
+    fn custom(_: String) -> Error { Error::SyntaxError }
 
     fn end_of_stream() -> Error { Error::EndOfStreamError }