diff --git a/internal_test.go b/internal_test.go
index 94b03f7b..a9619b50 100644
--- a/internal_test.go
+++ b/internal_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ import (
 	"io"
 )
 
+// MaxMessagePayload makes the internal maxMessagePayload constant available to
+// the test package.
+const MaxMessagePayload uint32 = maxMessagePayload
+
 // TstRandomUint64 makes the internal randomUint64 function available to the
 // test package.
 func TstRandomUint64(r io.Reader) (uint64, error) {
diff --git a/message_test.go b/message_test.go
index d3f0b8c0..fa7b6a85 100644
--- a/message_test.go
+++ b/message_test.go
@@ -6,14 +6,32 @@ package btcwire_test
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"github.com/conformal/btcwire"
 	"github.com/davecgh/go-spew/spew"
+	"io"
 	"net"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
 
+// makeHeader is a convenience function to make a message header in the form of
+// a byte slice.  It is used to force errors when reading messages.
+func makeHeader(btcnet btcwire.BitcoinNet, command string,
+	payloadLen uint32, checksum uint32) []byte {
+
+	// The length of a bitcoin message header is 24 bytes.
+	// 4 byte magic number of the bitcoin network + 12 byte command + 4 byte
+	// payload length + 4 byte checksum.
+	buf := make([]byte, 24)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(buf, uint32(btcnet))
+	copy(buf[4:], []byte(command))
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(buf[16:], payloadLen)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(buf[20:], checksum)
+	return buf
+}
+
 // TestMessage tests the Read/WriteMessage API.
 func TestMessage(t *testing.T) {
 	pver := btcwire.ProtocolVersion
@@ -100,3 +118,175 @@ func TestMessage(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// TestReadMessageWireErrors performs negative tests against wire decoding into
+// concrete messages to confirm error paths work correctly.
+func TestReadMessageWireErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	pver := btcwire.ProtocolVersion
+	btcnet := btcwire.MainNet
+
+	// Ensure message errors are as expected with no function specified.
+	wantErr := "something bad happened"
+	testErr := btcwire.MessageError{Description: wantErr}
+	if testErr.Error() != wantErr {
+		t.Errorf("MessageError: wrong error - got %v, want %v",
+			testErr.Error(), wantErr)
+	}
+
+	// Ensure message errors are as expected with a function specified.
+	wantFunc := "foo"
+	testErr = btcwire.MessageError{Func: wantFunc, Description: wantErr}
+	if testErr.Error() != wantFunc+": "+wantErr {
+		t.Errorf("MessageError: wrong error - got %v, want %v",
+			testErr.Error(), wantErr)
+	}
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for main and testnet3 networks magic identifiers.
+	testNet3Bytes := makeHeader(btcwire.TestNet3, "", 0, 0)
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a message that exceeds max overall message
+	// length.
+	mpl := btcwire.MaxMessagePayload
+	exceedMaxPayloadBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "getaddr", mpl+1, 0)
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a command which is invalid utf-8.
+	badCommandBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "bogus", 0, 0)
+	badCommandBytes[4] = 0x81
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a command which is valid, but not supported.
+	unsupportedCommandBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "bogus", 0, 0)
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a message which exceeds the max payload for
+	// a specific message type.
+	exceedTypePayloadBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "getaddr", 1, 0)
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a message which does not deliver the full
+	// payload according to the header length.
+	shortPayloadBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "version", 115, 0)
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a message with a bad checksum.
+	badChecksumBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "version", 2, 0xbeef)
+	badChecksumBytes = append(badChecksumBytes, []byte{0x0, 0x0}...)
+
+	// Wire encoded bytes for a message which has a valid header, but is
+	// the wrong format.  An addr starts with a varint of the number of
+	// contained in the message.  Claim there is two, but don't provide
+	// them.  At the same time, forge the header fields so the message is
+	// otherwise accurate.
+	badMessageBytes := makeHeader(btcnet, "addr", 1, 0xeaadc31c)
+	badMessageBytes = append(badMessageBytes, 0x2)
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		buf     []byte             // Wire encoding
+		pver    uint32             // Protocol version for wire encoding
+		btcnet  btcwire.BitcoinNet // Bitcoin network for wire encoding
+		max     int                // Max size of fixed buffer to induce errors
+		readErr error              // Expected read error
+	}{
+		// Latest protocol version with intentional read errors.
+
+		// Short header.
+		{
+			[]byte{},
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			0,
+			io.EOF,
+		},
+
+		// Wrong network.  Want MainNet, but giving TestNet3.
+		{
+			testNet3Bytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(testNet3Bytes),
+			&btcwire.MessageError{},
+		},
+
+		// Exceed max overall message payload length.
+		{
+			exceedMaxPayloadBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(exceedMaxPayloadBytes),
+			&btcwire.MessageError{},
+		},
+
+		// Invalid UTF-8 command.
+		{
+			badCommandBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(badCommandBytes),
+			&btcwire.MessageError{},
+		},
+
+		// Valid, but unsupported command.
+		{
+			unsupportedCommandBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(unsupportedCommandBytes),
+			&btcwire.MessageError{},
+		},
+
+		// Exceed max allowed payload for a message of a specific type.
+		{
+			exceedTypePayloadBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(exceedTypePayloadBytes),
+			&btcwire.MessageError{},
+		},
+
+		// Message with a payload shorter than the header indicates.
+		{
+			shortPayloadBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(shortPayloadBytes),
+			io.EOF,
+		},
+
+		// Message with a bad checksum.
+		{
+			badChecksumBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(badChecksumBytes),
+			&btcwire.MessageError{},
+		},
+
+		// Message with a valid header, but wrong format.
+		{
+			badMessageBytes,
+			pver,
+			btcnet,
+			len(badMessageBytes),
+			io.EOF,
+		},
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("Running %d tests", len(tests))
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		// Decode from wire format.
+		r := newFixedReader(test.max, test.buf)
+		_, _, err := btcwire.ReadMessage(r, test.pver, test.btcnet)
+		if reflect.TypeOf(err) != reflect.TypeOf(test.readErr) {
+			t.Errorf("ReadMessage #%d wrong error got: %v <%T>, "+
+				"want: %T", i, err, err, test.readErr)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// For errors which are not of type btcwire.MessageError, check
+		// them for equality.
+		if _, ok := err.(*btcwire.MessageError); !ok {
+			if err != test.readErr {
+				t.Errorf("ReadMessage #%d wrong error got: %v <%T>, "+
+					"want: %v <%T>", i, err, err,
+					test.readErr, test.readErr)
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}