diff --git a/lib/events.js b/lib/events.js
index 85c6204..88c7ac4 100644
--- a/lib/events.js
+++ b/lib/events.js
@@ -77,8 +77,7 @@ EventEmitter.prototype._emit = function(type, args) {
 
   if (!handler) {
     if (type === 'error') {
-      throw new Error('Unhandled error event: '
-        + JSON.stringify(slice.call(arguments)));
+      throw new args[0];
     }
     return;
   }