diff --git a/src/apptask.js b/src/apptask.js
index d39420503..dfeffcabb 100644
--- a/src/apptask.js
+++ b/src/apptask.js
@@ -530,8 +530,7 @@ function install(app, restoreConfig, progressCallback, callback) {
     ], function seriesDone(error) {
         if (error) {
             debugApp(app, 'error installing app: %s', error);
-            const appError = _.extend({ message: error.message, reason: error.reason }, error.details);
-            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: appError }, callback.bind(null, error));
+            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: error.toPlainObject ? error.toPlainObject() : error.message }, callback.bind(null, error));
         }
         callback(null);
     });
@@ -553,7 +552,8 @@ function backup(app, progressCallback, callback) {
     ], function seriesDone(error) {
         if (error) {
             debugApp(app, 'error backing up app: %s', error);
-            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_INSTALLED, error: { message: error.message } }, callback.bind(null, error)); // return to installed state intentionally
+            // return to installed state intentionally
+            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_INSTALLED, error: error.toPlainObject ? error.toPlainObject() : error.message }, callback.bind(null, error));
         }
         callback(null);
     });
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ function configure(app, oldConfig, progressCallback, callback) {
     ], function seriesDone(error) {
         if (error) {
             debugApp(app, 'error reconfiguring : %s', error);
-            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: { message: error.message }}, callback.bind(null, error));
+            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: error.toPlainObject ? error.toPlainObject() : error.message }, callback.bind(null, error));
         }
         callback(null);
     });
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ function update(app, updateConfig, progressCallback, callback) {
             updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_INSTALLED, error: null, health: null }, callback.bind(null, error));
         } else if (error) {
             debugApp(app, 'Error updating app: %s', error);
-            updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: { message: error.message }, updateTime: new Date() }, callback.bind(null, error));
+            updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: error.toPlainObject ? error.toPlainObject() : error.message, updateTime: new Date() }, callback.bind(null, error));
         } else {
             if (updateConfig.skipNotification) return callback();
 
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ function uninstall(app, progressCallback, callback) {
     ], function seriesDone(error) {
         if (error) {
             debugApp(app, 'error uninstalling app: %s', error);
-            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: { message: error.message } }, callback.bind(null, error));
+            return updateApp(app, { installationState: apps.ISTATE_ERROR, error: error.toPlainObject ? error.toPlainObject() : error.message }, callback.bind(null, error));
         }
         callback(null);
     });
diff --git a/src/boxerror.js b/src/boxerror.js
index 040ef1a17..5df46af86 100644
--- a/src/boxerror.js
+++ b/src/boxerror.js
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const assert = require('assert'),
-    util = require('util');
+    util = require('util'),
+    _ = require('underscore');
 
 exports = module.exports = BoxError;
 
@@ -36,3 +37,7 @@ BoxError.CONFLICT = 'Conflict';
 BoxError.EXTERNAL_ERROR = 'External Error';
 BoxError.INTERNAL_ERROR = 'Internal Error';
 BoxError.NOT_FOUND = 'Not found';
+
+BoxError.prototype.toPlainObject = function () {
+    return _.extend({}, { message: this.message, reason: this.reason }, this.details);
+};