diff --git a/api/current.txt b/api/current.txt
index ba8551a..8a04e4a 100644
--- a/api/current.txt
+++ b/api/current.txt
@@ -14664,7 +14664,7 @@
   }
 
   public static final class MediaCodec.CodecException extends java.lang.IllegalStateException {
-    method public int getErrorCode();
+    method public java.lang.String getDiagnosticInfo();
     method public boolean isRecoverable();
     method public boolean isTransient();
   }
@@ -15002,7 +15002,7 @@
 
   public static final class MediaDrm.MediaDrmStateException extends java.lang.IllegalStateException {
     ctor public MediaDrm.MediaDrmStateException(int, java.lang.String);
-    method public int getErrorCode();
+    method public java.lang.String getDiagnosticInfo();
   }
 
   public static abstract interface MediaDrm.OnEventListener {
diff --git a/media/java/android/media/MediaCodec.java b/media/java/android/media/MediaCodec.java
index 81ebb14..1c7c9ea 100644
--- a/media/java/android/media/MediaCodec.java
+++ b/media/java/android/media/MediaCodec.java
@@ -672,6 +672,11 @@
             super(detailMessage);
             mErrorCode = errorCode;
             mActionCode = actionCode;
+
+            // TODO get this from codec
+            final String sign = errorCode < 0 ? "neg_" : "";
+            mDiagnosticInfo =
+                "android.media.MediaCodec.error_" + sign + Math.abs(errorCode);
         }
 
         /**
@@ -696,15 +701,28 @@
          * Retrieve the error code associated with a CodecException.
          * This is opaque diagnostic information and may depend on
          * hardware or API level.
+         *
+         * @hide
          */
         public int getErrorCode() {
             return mErrorCode;
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Retrieve a human readable diagnostic information string
+         * associated with the exception. DO NOT SHOW THIS TO END-USERS!
+         * This string will not be localized or generally comprehensible
+         * to end-users.
+         */
+        public String getDiagnosticInfo() {
+            return mDiagnosticInfo;
+        }
+
         /* Must be in sync with android_media_MediaCodec.cpp */
         private final static int ACTION_TRANSIENT = 1;
         private final static int ACTION_RECOVERABLE = 2;
 
+        private final String mDiagnosticInfo;
         private final int mErrorCode;
         private final int mActionCode;
     }
diff --git a/media/java/android/media/MediaDrm.java b/media/java/android/media/MediaDrm.java
index ca707d8..1490732 100644
--- a/media/java/android/media/MediaDrm.java
+++ b/media/java/android/media/MediaDrm.java
@@ -188,18 +188,37 @@
      */
     public static final class MediaDrmStateException extends java.lang.IllegalStateException {
         private final int mErrorCode;
+        private final String mDiagnosticInfo;
 
         public MediaDrmStateException(int errorCode, String detailMessage) {
             super(detailMessage);
             mErrorCode = errorCode;
+
+            // TODO get this from DRM session
+            final String sign = errorCode < 0 ? "neg_" : "";
+            mDiagnosticInfo =
+                "android.media.MediaDrm.error_" + sign + Math.abs(errorCode);
+
         }
 
         /**
          * Retrieve the associated error code
+         *
+         * @hide
          */
         public int getErrorCode() {
             return mErrorCode;
         }
+
+        /**
+         * Retrieve a human readable diagnostic information string
+         * associated with the exception. DO NOT SHOW THIS TO END-USERS!
+         * This string will not be localized or generally comprehensible
+         * to end-users.
+         */
+        public String getDiagnosticInfo() {
+            return mDiagnosticInfo;
+        }
     }
 
     /**