diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 7b08550..80824de 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ export type {
   SDKReasoningMessage,
   SDKResultMessage,
   SDKStreamEventMessage,
+  SDKErrorMessage,
+  SDKRetryMessage,
   SkillSource,
   SleeptimeOptions,
   SleeptimeTrigger,
diff --git a/src/session.ts b/src/session.ts
index 11f3832..c3bc9b8 100644
--- a/src/session.ts
+++ b/src/session.ts
@@ -817,6 +817,44 @@ export class Session implements AsyncDisposable {
       };
     }
 
+    // Error message — carries the actual error detail from the CLI.
+    // The subsequent type=result only has the opaque string "error";
+    // this message has the human-readable description and API error.
+    if (wireMsg.type === "error") {
+      const msg = wireMsg as WireMessage & {
+        message: string;
+        stop_reason: string;
+        run_id?: string;
+        api_error?: Record<string, unknown>;
+      };
+      return {
+        type: "error" as const,
+        message: msg.message,
+        stopReason: msg.stop_reason,
+        runId: msg.run_id,
+        apiError: msg.api_error,
+      };
+    }
+
+    // Retry message — the CLI is retrying after a transient failure.
+    if (wireMsg.type === "retry") {
+      const msg = wireMsg as WireMessage & {
+        reason: string;
+        attempt: number;
+        max_attempts: number;
+        delay_ms: number;
+        run_id?: string;
+      };
+      return {
+        type: "retry" as const,
+        reason: msg.reason,
+        attempt: msg.attempt,
+        maxAttempts: msg.max_attempts,
+        delayMs: msg.delay_ms,
+        runId: msg.run_id,
+      };
+    }
+
     // Skip other message types (system_message, user_message, etc.)
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index a6fc96e..54bf270 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -482,6 +482,41 @@ export interface SDKStreamEventMessage {
   uuid: string;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Error message from the CLI — carries the actual error detail that
+ * would otherwise be lost (the subsequent `type=result` only has
+ * the opaque string "error" as its error field).
+ */
+export interface SDKErrorMessage {
+  type: "error";
+  /** Human-readable error description from the CLI */
+  message: string;
+  /** Why the run stopped (e.g. "error", "llm_api_error", "max_steps") */
+  stopReason: string;
+  /** Run that produced the error, if available */
+  runId?: string;
+  /** Nested Letta API error when the error originated server-side */
+  apiError?: Record<string, unknown>;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Retry message — the CLI is retrying after a transient failure.
+ * Emitted before each retry attempt so consumers can log / display progress.
+ */
+export interface SDKRetryMessage {
+  type: "retry";
+  /** The stop reason that triggered the retry */
+  reason: string;
+  /** Current attempt number (1-based) */
+  attempt: number;
+  /** Maximum attempts before giving up */
+  maxAttempts: number;
+  /** Delay in ms before the next attempt */
+  delayMs: number;
+  /** Run that triggered the retry, if available */
+  runId?: string;
+}
+
 /** Union of all SDK message types */
 export type SDKMessage =
   | SDKInitMessage
@@ -490,7 +525,9 @@ export type SDKMessage =
   | SDKToolResultMessage
   | SDKReasoningMessage
   | SDKResultMessage
-  | SDKStreamEventMessage;
+  | SDKStreamEventMessage
+  | SDKErrorMessage
+  | SDKRetryMessage;
 
 // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 // LIST MESSAGES API