diff --git a/lib/neography/connection.rb b/lib/neography/connection.rb
index 7d18ed8..dcc71b8 100644
--- a/lib/neography/connection.rb
+++ b/lib/neography/connection.rb
@@ -48,10 +48,18 @@ def post(path, options={})
     def post_chunked(path, options={})
       authenticate(configuration + path)
       result = ""
+
       response = @client.post(configuration + path, merge_options(options)[:body], merge_options(options)[:headers]) do |chunk|
         result << chunk
       end
-      evaluate_chunk_response(response, result)
+
+      r = evaluate_chunk_response(response, result)
+
+      if r.last["status"] > 399
+        handle_4xx_500_response(r.last["status"], r.last["body"] || r.last )
+      end
+      
+      r
     end
 
     def put(path, options={})
@@ -142,6 +150,10 @@ def handle_4xx_500_response(code, body)
         parsed_body = {}
         message = "No error message returned from server."
         stacktrace = ""
+      elsif body.is_a? Hash
+        parsed_body = body
+        message = parsed_body["message"]
+        stacktrace = parsed_body["stacktrace"]
       else
         parsed_body = @parser.json(body)
         message = parsed_body["message"]
diff --git a/spec/integration/rest_batch_spec.rb b/spec/integration/rest_batch_spec.rb
index 907a3bd..eef312e 100644
--- a/spec/integration/rest_batch_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/integration/rest_batch_spec.rb
@@ -441,7 +441,6 @@
                                 [:create_relationship, "has", "{0}", "{2}", {}]
       batch_result.should_not be_nil
 
-
       batch_result = @neo.batch [:create_unique_node, "person", "ssn", "000-00-0001", {:first_name=>"Jane", :last_name=>"Doe", :ssn=>"000-00-0001", :_type=>"Person", :created_at=>1335269478}],
                                 [:add_node_to_index, "person_ssn", "ssn", "000-00-0001", "{0}"],
                                 [:create_node, {:street1=>"94437 Kemmer Crossing", :street2=>"Apt. 333", :city=>"Abshireton", :state=>"AA", :zip=>"65820", :_type=>"Address", :created_at=>1335269478}],
@@ -457,22 +456,26 @@
     it "should return errors when bad syntax is passed in batch" do
 
       batch_commands = []
-      batch_commands << [ :create_unique_node, "person", "ssn", "000-00-0001", {:foo => "bar"} ]
+      # batch_commands << [ :create_unique_node, "person", "ssn", "000-00-0002", {:foo => "bar"} ]
     
       # this doesn't raise error
-      batch_commands << [ :execute_query, "start person_n=node:person(ssn = '000-00-0001')
-                                         set bar = {foo}",
+      batch_commands << [ :execute_query, "start person_n=node:person(ssn = '000-00-0002')
+                                         set bar1 = {foo}",
                         { :other => "what" }
                       ]
 
+
       # this does raise error
       expect { 
           @neo.execute_query("start person_n=node:person(ssn = '000-00-0001')
                               set bar = {foo}",
                         { :other => "what" })
       }.to raise_exception Neography::SyntaxException
-                                
-      batch_result = @neo.batch *batch_commands
+                      
+      expect { 
+        batch_result = @neo.batch *batch_commands
+      }.to raise_exception Neography::SyntaxException          
+      
     end    
   end