diff --git a/docs/misc/xenstore-ring.txt b/docs/misc/xenstore-ring.txt
index 16b4d0f5ac..ec5b8eb4b9 100644
--- a/docs/misc/xenstore-ring.txt
+++ b/docs/misc/xenstore-ring.txt
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Offset  Length  Description
 2060    4       Output producer offset
 2064    4       Server feature bitmap
 2068    4       Connection state
+2072    4       Connection error indicator
 
 The Input data and Output data are circular buffers. Each buffer is
 associated with a pair of free-running offsets labelled "consumer" and
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ The following features are defined:
 Mask    Description
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
 1       Ring reconnection (see the ring reconnection feature below)
+2       Connection error indicator (see connection error feature below)
 
 The "Connection state" field is used to request a ring close and reconnect.
 The "Connection state" field only contains valid data if the server has
@@ -78,6 +80,18 @@ Value   Description
 1       Ring close and reconnect is in progress (see the "ring
         reconnection feature" described below)
 
+The "Connection error indicator" is used to let the server indicate it has
+detected some error that led to deactivation of the connection by the server.
+If the feature has been advertised then the "Connection error indicator" may
+take the following values:
+
+Value   Description
+-----------------------------------------------------------------
+0       No error, connection is valid
+1       Communication problems (event channel not functional)
+2       Inconsistent producer or consumer offset
+3       Protocol violation (client data package too long)
+
 The ring reconnection feature
 =============================
 
@@ -114,3 +128,18 @@ packet boundary.
 
 Note that only the guest may set the Connection state to 1 and only the
 server may set it back to 0.
+
+The connection error feature
+============================
+
+The connection error feature allows the server to signal error conditions
+leading to a stop of the communication with the client. In case such an error
+condition has occurred, the server will set the appropriate error condition in
+the Connection error indicator and will stop communication with the client.
+
+The server will discard any already read or written packets, in-flight
+requests, watches and transactions associated with the connection.
+
+Depending on the error cause it might be possible that a reconnect via the
+ring reconnection feature (if present) can be performed. There is no guarantee
+this will succeed.
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c
index 91d3adccb1..6e4022e5da 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c
@@ -1455,35 +1455,6 @@ static struct {
 	[XS_DIRECTORY_PART]    = { "DIRECTORY_PART",    send_directory_part },
 };
 
-/*
- * Keep the connection alive but stop processing any new request or sending
- * reponse. This is to allow sending @releaseDomain watch event at the correct
- * moment and/or to allow the connection to restart (not yet implemented).
- *
- * All watches, transactions, buffers will be freed.
- */
-void ignore_connection(struct connection *conn)
-{
-	struct buffered_data *out, *tmp;
-
-	trace("CONN %p ignored\n", conn);
-
-	conn->is_ignored = true;
-	conn_delete_all_watches(conn);
-	conn_delete_all_transactions(conn);
-
-	list_for_each_entry_safe(out, tmp, &conn->out_list, list) {
-		list_del(&out->list);
-		talloc_free(out);
-	}
-
-	talloc_free(conn->in);
-	conn->in = NULL;
-	/* if this is a socket connection, drop it now */
-	if (conn->fd >= 0)
-		talloc_free(conn);
-}
-
 static const char *sockmsg_string(enum xsd_sockmsg_type type)
 {
 	if ((unsigned int)type < ARRAY_SIZE(wire_funcs) && wire_funcs[type].str)
@@ -1598,6 +1569,7 @@ static void handle_input(struct connection *conn)
 {
 	int bytes;
 	struct buffered_data *in;
+	unsigned int err;
 
 	if (!conn->in) {
 		conn->in = new_buffer(conn);
@@ -1612,8 +1584,10 @@ static void handle_input(struct connection *conn)
 		if (in->used != sizeof(in->hdr)) {
 			bytes = conn->funcs->read(conn, in->hdr.raw + in->used,
 						  sizeof(in->hdr) - in->used);
-			if (bytes < 0)
+			if (bytes < 0) {
+				err = XENSTORE_ERROR_RINGIDX;
 				goto bad_client;
+			}
 			in->used += bytes;
 			if (in->used != sizeof(in->hdr))
 				return;
@@ -1621,6 +1595,7 @@ static void handle_input(struct connection *conn)
 			if (in->hdr.msg.len > XENSTORE_PAYLOAD_MAX) {
 				syslog(LOG_ERR, "Client tried to feed us %i",
 				       in->hdr.msg.len);
+				err = XENSTORE_ERROR_PROTO;
 				goto bad_client;
 			}
 		}
@@ -1638,8 +1613,10 @@ static void handle_input(struct connection *conn)
 
 	bytes = conn->funcs->read(conn, in->buffer + in->used,
 				  in->hdr.msg.len - in->used);
-	if (bytes < 0)
+	if (bytes < 0) {
+		err = XENSTORE_ERROR_RINGIDX;
 		goto bad_client;
+	}
 
 	in->used += bytes;
 	if (in->used != in->hdr.msg.len)
@@ -1649,14 +1626,14 @@ static void handle_input(struct connection *conn)
 	return;
 
 bad_client:
-	ignore_connection(conn);
+	ignore_connection(conn, err);
 }
 
 static void handle_output(struct connection *conn)
 {
 	/* Ignore the connection if an error occured */
 	if (!write_messages(conn))
-		ignore_connection(conn);
+		ignore_connection(conn, XENSTORE_ERROR_RINGIDX);
 }
 
 struct connection *new_connection(const struct interface_funcs *funcs)
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h
index 190d2447cd..742812a974 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h
@@ -206,7 +206,6 @@ struct node *read_node(struct connection *conn, const void *ctx,
 
 struct connection *new_connection(const struct interface_funcs *funcs);
 struct connection *get_connection_by_id(unsigned int conn_id);
-void ignore_connection(struct connection *conn);
 void check_store(void);
 void corrupt(struct connection *conn, const char *fmt, ...);
 
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c
index d03c7d93a9..ae065fcbee 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.c
@@ -427,6 +427,38 @@ static void domain_conn_reset(struct domain *domain)
 	domain->interface->rsp_cons = domain->interface->rsp_prod = 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Keep the connection alive but stop processing any new request or sending
+ * reponse. This is to allow sending @releaseDomain watch event at the correct
+ * moment and/or to allow the connection to restart (not yet implemented).
+ *
+ * All watches, transactions, buffers will be freed.
+ */
+void ignore_connection(struct connection *conn, unsigned int err)
+{
+	struct buffered_data *out, *tmp;
+
+	trace("CONN %p ignored, reason %u\n", conn, err);
+
+	if (conn->domain && conn->domain->interface)
+		conn->domain->interface->error = err;
+
+	conn->is_ignored = true;
+	conn_delete_all_watches(conn);
+	conn_delete_all_transactions(conn);
+
+	list_for_each_entry_safe(out, tmp, &conn->out_list, list) {
+		list_del(&out->list);
+		talloc_free(out);
+	}
+
+	talloc_free(conn->in);
+	conn->in = NULL;
+	/* if this is a socket connection, drop it now */
+	if (conn->fd >= 0)
+		talloc_free(conn);
+}
+
 static struct domain *introduce_domain(const void *ctx,
 				       unsigned int domid,
 				       evtchn_port_t port, bool restore)
@@ -1305,7 +1337,7 @@ void read_state_connection(const void *ctx, const void *state)
 		 * dead. So mark it as ignored.
 		 */
 		if (!domain->port || !domain->interface)
-			ignore_connection(conn);
+			ignore_connection(conn, XENSTORE_ERROR_COMM);
 
 		if (sc->spec.ring.tdomid != DOMID_INVALID) {
 			tdomain = find_or_alloc_domain(ctx,
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.h b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.h
index 1e929b8f8c..4a37de67a0 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.h
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_domain.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ int do_reset_watches(struct connection *conn, struct buffered_data *in);
 void domain_init(int evtfd);
 void dom0_init(void);
 void domain_deinit(void);
+void ignore_connection(struct connection *conn, unsigned int err);
 
 /* Returns the implicit path of a connection (only domains have this) */
 const char *get_implicit_path(const struct connection *conn);
diff --git a/xen/include/public/io/xs_wire.h b/xen/include/public/io/xs_wire.h
index 4dd6632669..953a0050a3 100644
--- a/xen/include/public/io/xs_wire.h
+++ b/xen/include/public/io/xs_wire.h
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ struct xenstore_domain_interface {
     XENSTORE_RING_IDX rsp_cons, rsp_prod;
     uint32_t server_features; /* Bitmap of features supported by the server */
     uint32_t connection;
+    uint32_t error;
 };
 
 /* Violating this is very bad.  See docs/misc/xenstore.txt. */
@@ -135,11 +136,19 @@ struct xenstore_domain_interface {
 
 /* The ability to reconnect a ring */
 #define XENSTORE_SERVER_FEATURE_RECONNECTION 1
+/* The presence of the "error" field in the ring page */
+#define XENSTORE_SERVER_FEATURE_ERROR        2
 
 /* Valid values for the connection field */
 #define XENSTORE_CONNECTED 0 /* the steady-state */
 #define XENSTORE_RECONNECT 1 /* guest has initiated a reconnect */
 
+/* Valid values for the error field */
+#define XENSTORE_ERROR_NONE    0 /* No error */
+#define XENSTORE_ERROR_COMM    1 /* Communication problem */
+#define XENSTORE_ERROR_RINGIDX 2 /* Invalid ring index */
+#define XENSTORE_ERROR_PROTO   3 /* Protocol violation (payload too long) */
+
 #endif /* _XS_WIRE_H */
 
 /*
