diff --git a/proto/protocol.xml b/proto/protocol.xml
index cd7b6e2..7f3dcf5 100644
--- a/proto/protocol.xml
+++ b/proto/protocol.xml
@@ -193,7 +193,32 @@
       <arg name="version" type="uint" summary="the version of the connection setup object"/>
     </event>
 
+    <enum name="disconnect_reason">
+      <description summary="disconnection reason">
+        A reason why a client was disconnected.
+      </description>
+      <entry name="disconnected" value="0" help="client was purposely disconnected"/>
+      <entry name="error" value="1" help="an error caused the disconnection"/>
+    </enum>
+
     <event name="disconnected">
+      <description summary="disconnection event">
+        This event may be sent by the EIS implementation immediately before
+        the client is disconnected.
+
+        Where a client is disconnected by EIS directly, the reason is
+        disconnect_reason.disconnected and the explanation is NULL.
+
+        Where a client is disconnected due to some invalid request or other
+        protocol error, the reason is disconnect_reason.error and
+        explanation may contain a string explaining why. This string is
+        intended to help debugging only and is not guaranteed to stay constant.
+
+        There is no guarantee this event is sent - the connection may be closed
+        without a disconnection event.
+      </description>
+      <arg name="reason" type="uint" enum="disconnect_reason"/>
+      <arg name="explanation" type="string"/>
     </event>
 
     <event name="seat_added">
diff --git a/src/libei.c b/src/libei.c
index 2e26c01..15cb431 100644
--- a/src/libei.c
+++ b/src/libei.c
@@ -1109,8 +1109,15 @@ ei_peek_event(struct ei *ei)
 	return ei_event_ref(e);
 }
 
-static int handle_msg_disconnected(struct ei_connection *connection)
+static int handle_msg_disconnected(struct ei_connection *connection, uint32_t reason, const char *explanation)
 {
+	struct ei *ei = ei_connection_get_context(connection);
+
+	if (reason == EI_CONNECTION_DISCONNECT_REASON_DISCONNECTED)
+		log_info(ei, "Disconnected by EIS");
+	else
+		log_info(ei, "Disconnected after error: %s", explanation);
+
 	return -ECANCELED;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libeis-client.c b/src/libeis-client.c
index 06b8512..88915c0 100644
--- a/src/libeis-client.c
+++ b/src/libeis-client.c
@@ -194,9 +194,11 @@ client_send_connection_setup(struct eis_client *client, struct eis_connection_se
 }
 
 static int
-client_send_disconnect(struct eis_client *client)
+client_send_disconnect(struct eis_client *client, const char *reason)
 {
-	return eis_connection_event_disconnected(client->connection);
+	return eis_connection_event_disconnected(client->connection,
+						 reason ? EIS_CONNECTION_DISCONNECT_REASON_ERROR : EIS_CONNECTION_DISCONNECT_REASON_DISCONNECTED,
+						 reason);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -277,8 +279,8 @@ eis_client_connect(struct eis_client *client)
 	client->state = EIS_CLIENT_STATE_CONNECTED;
 }
 
-_public_ void
-eis_client_disconnect(struct eis_client *client)
+static void
+client_disconnect(struct eis_client *client, const char *reason)
 {
 	switch(client->state) {
 	case EIS_CLIENT_STATE_DISCONNECTED:
@@ -296,7 +298,7 @@ eis_client_disconnect(struct eis_client *client)
 		eis_queue_disconnect_event(client);
 		_fallthrough_;
 	case EIS_CLIENT_STATE_NEW:
-		client_send_disconnect(client);
+		client_send_disconnect(client, reason);
 		client->state = EIS_CLIENT_STATE_DISCONNECTED;
 		source_remove(client->source);
 		break;
@@ -305,6 +307,12 @@ eis_client_disconnect(struct eis_client *client)
 	eis_client_unref(client);
 }
 
+_public_ void
+eis_client_disconnect(struct eis_client *client)
+{
+	client_disconnect(client, NULL);
+}
+
 void
 eis_client_setup_done(struct eis_client *client, const char *name, bool is_sender)
 {
@@ -559,7 +567,9 @@ client_msg_touch_up(struct eis_connection *connection, uint32_t deviceid, uint32
 static int
 client_msg_disconnect(struct eis_connection *connection)
 {
-	return -ECANCELED;
+	struct eis_client * client = eis_connection_get_client(connection);
+	client_disconnect(client, NULL);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -648,7 +658,7 @@ client_dispatch(struct source *source, void *userdata)
 	int rc = brei_dispatch(source_get_fd(source), lookup_object, client);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		brei_drain_fd(source_get_fd(source));
-		eis_client_disconnect(client);
+		client_disconnect(client, strerror(-rc));
 	}
 
 	static const char *client_states[] = {