diff --git a/chrome_browser_proxy_resolver.cc b/chrome_browser_proxy_resolver.cc
index 8c35afb..7b0bdc6 100644
--- a/chrome_browser_proxy_resolver.cc
+++ b/chrome_browser_proxy_resolver.cc
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@
                                                  kLibCrosServiceInterface,
                                                  &error);
   if (!proxy) {
-    LOG(ERROR) << "Error getting dbus proxy for "
-               << kLibCrosServiceName << ": " << utils::GetGErrorMessage(error);
+    LOG(ERROR) << "Error getting dbus proxy for " << kLibCrosServiceName << ": "
+               << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
     return NULL;
   }
   return proxy;
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
           G_TYPE_STRING, kLibCrosProxyResolveName,
           G_TYPE_INVALID, G_TYPE_INVALID)) {
     LOG(WARNING) << "dbus_g_proxy_call failed: "
-                 << utils::GetGErrorMessage(error)
+                 << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error)
                  << " Continuing with no proxy.";
     timeout = 0;
   }
diff --git a/chrome_proxy_resolver.cc b/chrome_proxy_resolver.cc
index 37ccd8c..25af4f6 100644
--- a/chrome_proxy_resolver.cc
+++ b/chrome_proxy_resolver.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2010 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2011 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@
   GError* error = NULL;
   DBusGConnection* bus = dbus_->BusGet(DBUS_BUS_SYSTEM, &error);
   if (!bus) {
-    LOG(ERROR) << "Failed to get System Dbus";
+    LOG(ERROR) << "Failed to get System Dbus: "
+               << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
     return NULL;
   }
   DBusGProxy* proxy = dbus_->ProxyNewForNameOwner(bus,
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@
                                                   &error);
   if (!proxy) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Error getting FlimFlam proxy: "
-               << utils::GetGErrorMessage(error);
+               << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   }
   return proxy;
 }
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@
   kProxyModePACScript,
   kProxyModeSingle,
   kProxyModeProxyPerScheme
-}; 
+};
 }  // namespace {}
 
 bool ChromeProxyResolver::GetProxiesForUrlWithSettings(
diff --git a/filesystem_copier_action.cc b/filesystem_copier_action.cc
index 364922b..340dd1d 100644
--- a/filesystem_copier_action.cc
+++ b/filesystem_copier_action.cc
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@
 
   ssize_t bytes_read = g_input_stream_read_finish(src_stream_, res, &error);
   if (bytes_read < 0) {
-    LOG(ERROR) << "Read failed: " << utils::GetGErrorMessage(error);
+    LOG(ERROR) << "Read failed: " << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
     failed_ = true;
     buffer_state_[index] = kBufferStateEmpty;
   } else if (bytes_read == 0) {
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
                                                        &error);
   if (bytes_written < static_cast<ssize_t>(buffer_valid_size_[index])) {
     if (bytes_written < 0) {
-      LOG(ERROR) << "Write failed: " << utils::GetGErrorMessage(error);
+      LOG(ERROR) << "Write failed: " << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
     } else {
       LOG(ERROR) << "Write was short: wrote " << bytes_written
                  << " but expected to write " << buffer_valid_size_[index];
diff --git a/flimflam_proxy.cc b/flimflam_proxy.cc
index 27be084..4c1cfc9 100644
--- a/flimflam_proxy.cc
+++ b/flimflam_proxy.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2010 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2011 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
                                            &error);
   if (!proxy) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Error getting FlimFlam proxy: "
-               << utils::GetGErrorMessage(error);
+               << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
     return false;
   }
   *out_proxy = proxy;
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index b96add3..fd84e50 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -58,9 +58,8 @@
   GError *error = NULL;
 
   bus = dbus_g_bus_get(DBUS_BUS_SYSTEM, &error);
-  if (!bus) {
-    LOG(FATAL) << "Failed to get bus";
-  }
+  LOG_IF(FATAL, !bus) << "Failed to get bus: "
+                      << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   proxy = dbus_g_proxy_new_for_name(bus,
                                     DBUS_SERVICE_DBUS,
                                     DBUS_PATH_DBUS,
@@ -71,11 +70,10 @@
                                          0,
                                          &request_name_ret,
                                          &error)) {
-    LOG(FATAL) << "Failed to get name: " << error->message;
+    LOG(FATAL) << "Failed to get name: " << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   }
   if (request_name_ret != DBUS_REQUEST_NAME_REPLY_PRIMARY_OWNER) {
     g_warning("Got result code %u from requesting name", request_name_ret);
-    g_error_free(error);
     LOG(FATAL) << "Got result code " << request_name_ret
                << " from requesting name, but expected "
                << DBUS_REQUEST_NAME_REPLY_PRIMARY_OWNER;
diff --git a/subprocess.cc b/subprocess.cc
index a638145..f0647e2 100644
--- a/subprocess.cc
+++ b/subprocess.cc
@@ -3,14 +3,19 @@
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
 #include "update_engine/subprocess.h"
+
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <string>
 #include <unistd.h>
+
+#include <string>
 #include <vector>
-#include "base/logging.h"
-#include "base/memory/scoped_ptr.h"
-#include "base/string_util.h"
+
+#include <base/logging.h>
+#include <base/memory/scoped_ptr.h>
+#include <base/string_util.h>
+
+#include "update_engine/utils.h"
 
 using std::string;
 using std::tr1::shared_ptr;
@@ -220,10 +225,7 @@
       return_code,
       &err);
   FreeArgv(argv.get());
-  if (err) {
-    LOG(INFO) << "err is: " << err->code << ", " << err->message;
-    g_error_free(err);
-  }
+  LOG_IF(INFO, err) << utils::GetAndFreeGError(&err);
   if (child_stdout) {
     if (stdout) {
       *stdout = child_stdout;
diff --git a/update_engine_client.cc b/update_engine_client.cc
index fb2d418..db14fb6 100644
--- a/update_engine_client.cc
+++ b/update_engine_client.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2010 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright (c) 2011 The Chromium OS Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 using chromeos_update_engine::kUpdateEngineServiceName;
 using chromeos_update_engine::kUpdateEngineServicePath;
 using chromeos_update_engine::kUpdateEngineServiceInterface;
-using chromeos_update_engine::utils::GetGErrorMessage;
+using chromeos_update_engine::utils::GetAndFreeGError;
 using std::string;
 
 DEFINE_string(app_version, "", "Force the current app version.");
@@ -41,24 +41,27 @@
   DBusGProxy* proxy = NULL;
   GError* error = NULL;
   const int kTries = 4;
+  const int kRetrySeconds = 10;
 
   bus = dbus_g_bus_get(DBUS_BUS_SYSTEM, &error);
-  if (!bus) {
-    LOG(FATAL) << "Failed to get bus";
-  }
+  LOG_IF(FATAL, !bus) << "Failed to get bus: " << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   for (int i = 0; !proxy && i < kTries; ++i) {
-    LOG_IF(INFO, i) << "Trying to get dbus proxy. Try "
-                    << (i + 1) << "/" << kTries;
+    if (i > 0) {
+      LOG(INFO) << "Retrying to get dbus proxy. Try "
+                << (i + 1) << "/" << kTries;
+      sleep(kRetrySeconds);
+    }
     proxy = dbus_g_proxy_new_for_name_owner(bus,
                                             kUpdateEngineServiceName,
                                             kUpdateEngineServicePath,
                                             kUpdateEngineServiceInterface,
                                             &error);
+    LOG_IF(WARNING, !proxy) << "Error getting dbus proxy for "
+                            << kUpdateEngineServiceName << ": "
+                            << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   }
-  if (!proxy) {
-    LOG(FATAL) << "Error getting dbus proxy for "
-               << kUpdateEngineServiceName << ": " << GetGErrorMessage(error);
-  }
+  LOG_IF(FATAL, !proxy) << "Giving up -- unable to get dbus proxy for "
+                        << kUpdateEngineServiceName;
   *out_proxy = proxy;
   return true;
 }
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@
       &new_size,
       &error);
   if (rc == FALSE) {
-    LOG(INFO) << "Error getting status: " << GetGErrorMessage(error);
+    LOG(INFO) << "Error getting status: " << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   }
   printf("LAST_CHECKED_TIME=%" PRIi64 "\nPROGRESS=%f\nCURRENT_OP=%s\n"
          "NEW_VERSION=%s\nNEW_SIZE=%" PRIi64 "\n",
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@
                                                         omaha_url.c_str(),
                                                         &error);
   CHECK_EQ(rc, TRUE) << "Error checking for update: "
-                     << GetGErrorMessage(error);
+                     << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@
   // Reboot error code doesn't necessarily mean that a reboot
   // failed. For example, D-Bus may be shutdown before we receive the
   // result.
-  LOG_IF(INFO, !rc) << "Reboot error message: " << GetGErrorMessage(error);
+  LOG_IF(INFO, !rc) << "Reboot error message: " << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -194,7 +197,7 @@
                                                    track.c_str(),
                                                    &error);
   CHECK_EQ(rc, true) << "Error setting the track: "
-                     << GetGErrorMessage(error);
+                     << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   LOG(INFO) << "Track permanently set to: " << track;
 }
 
@@ -209,8 +212,7 @@
       org_chromium_UpdateEngineInterface_get_track(proxy,
                                                    &track,
                                                    &error);
-  CHECK_EQ(rc, true) << "Error getting the track: "
-                     << GetGErrorMessage(error);
+  CHECK_EQ(rc, true) << "Error getting the track: " << GetAndFreeGError(&error);
   string output = track;
   g_free(track);
   return output;
diff --git a/utils.cc b/utils.cc
index bcf34d5..5273347 100644
--- a/utils.cc
+++ b/utils.cc
@@ -518,10 +518,17 @@
   return true;
 }
 
-const char* GetGErrorMessage(const GError* error) {
-  if (!error)
-    return "Unknown error.";
-  return error->message;
+string GetAndFreeGError(GError** error) {
+  if (!*error) {
+    return "Unknown GLib error.";
+  }
+  string message =
+      base::StringPrintf("GError(%d): %s",
+                         (*error)->code,
+                         (*error)->message ? (*error)->message : "(unknown)");
+  g_error_free(*error);
+  *error = NULL;
+  return message;
 }
 
 bool Reboot() {
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index 7b39cd4..b0b28a8 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -142,8 +142,9 @@
 // param. Returns true on success.
 bool GetBootloader(BootLoader* out_bootloader);
 
-// Returns the error message, if any, from a GError pointer.
-const char* GetGErrorMessage(const GError* error);
+// Returns the error message, if any, from a GError pointer. Frees the GError
+// object and resets error to NULL.
+std::string GetAndFreeGError(GError** error);
 
 // Initiates a system reboot. Returns true on success, false otherwise.
 bool Reboot();