diff --git a/emacsql-sqlite.el b/emacsql-sqlite.el
index fc02d42..ec514f6 100644
--- a/emacsql-sqlite.el
+++ b/emacsql-sqlite.el
@@ -59,21 +59,6 @@ used.")
   (emacsql--sqlite-base emacsql-protocol-mixin) ()
   "A connection to a SQLite database.")
 
-(defun emacsql-sqlite--sentinel (process _)
-  "If PROCESS is not alive kill its associated buffer.
-Signal an error if PROCESS exited abnormally."
-  (unless (process-live-p process)
-    (let* ((buffer (process-buffer process))
-           (contents (and (buffer-live-p buffer)
-                          (with-current-buffer buffer (buffer-string))))
-           (status (process-exit-status process)))
-      (kill-buffer buffer)
-      (when (> status 0)
-        (error "%s exited abnormallly :status %S :exit-code %d :last-output %s"
-               emacsql-sqlite-executable
-               (process-status process)
-               status contents)))))
-
 (cl-defmethod initialize-instance :after
   ((connection emacsql-sqlite-connection) &rest _rest)
   (emacsql-sqlite-ensure-binary)
@@ -87,7 +72,16 @@ Signal an error if PROCESS exited abnormally."
          (process (start-process
                    "emacsql-sqlite" buffer emacsql-sqlite-executable fullfile)))
     (oset connection handle process)
-    (set-process-sentinel process #'emacsql-sqlite--sentinel)
+    (set-process-sentinel
+     process
+     (lambda (process _)
+       (cond ((process-live-p process))
+             ((zerop (process-exit-status process))
+              (kill-buffer buffer))
+             ((let ((errmsg (and (buffer-live-p buffer)
+                                 (with-current-buffer buffer (buffer-string)))))
+                (kill-buffer buffer)
+                (signal 'emacsql-error errmsg))))))
     (when (memq (process-status process) '(exit signal))
       (error "%s has failed immediately" emacsql-sqlite-executable))
     (emacsql-wait connection)