diff --git a/src/MailChimp.php b/src/MailChimp.php
index da9bf8f..ba1c331 100644
--- a/src/MailChimp.php
+++ b/src/MailChimp.php
@@ -249,7 +249,8 @@ private function makeRequest($http_verb, $method, $args = array(), $timeout = se
         
         $response['headers'] = curl_getinfo($ch);
         if ($responseContent === false) {
-            $this->last_error = curl_error($ch);
+            $this->last_error = "Curl Error: " . curl_error($ch);
+            $formattedResponse = false;
         } else {
             $headerSize = $response['headers']['header_size'];
             
@@ -259,14 +260,16 @@ private function makeRequest($http_verb, $method, $args = array(), $timeout = se
             if (isset($response['headers']['request_header'])) {
                 $this->last_request['headers'] = $response['headers']['request_header'];
             }
+
+            $formattedResponse = $this->formatResponse($response);
+            
+            $this->determineSuccess($response, $formattedResponse, $timeout);    
         }
 
+        $this->last_response = $response;
+        
         curl_close($ch);
 
-        $formattedResponse = $this->formatResponse($response);
-
-        $this->determineSuccess($response, $formattedResponse, $timeout);
-
         return $formattedResponse;
     }
 
@@ -360,8 +363,6 @@ private function attachRequestPayload(&$ch, $data)
      */
     private function formatResponse($response)
     {
-        $this->last_response = $response;
-
         if (!empty($response['body'])) {
             return json_decode($response['body'], true);
         }
diff --git a/tests/MailChimpTest.php b/tests/MailChimpTest.php
index 6a62269..94b7e9f 100644
--- a/tests/MailChimpTest.php
+++ b/tests/MailChimpTest.php
@@ -101,4 +101,17 @@ public function testRequestTimeout()
         $error = $MailChimp->getLastError();
         $this->assertRegExp( '/Request timed out after 1.\d+ seconds/', $error );
     }
+
+    public function testCurlErrorPassthrough()
+    {
+        $badDataCenter = 'us999999999';
+
+        $MailChimp = new MailChimp("abc123-$badDataCenter");
+
+        $MailChimp->get('lists');
+
+        // Ensure that the curl error is not overwritten and makes it back to the user.
+        // If this assertion passes, other curl errors should make it back to the user as well.
+        $this->assertEquals("Curl Error: Couldn't resolve host '$badDataCenter.api.mailchimp.com'", $MailChimp->getLastError());
+    }
 }