diff --git a/README.TXT b/README.TXT
index 8b59bf2..a610732 100644
--- a/README.TXT
+++ b/README.TXT
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
    00 0e ff 00  00 00 00 00  00 00 00 [pg]   [transitions to this]
    00 00 10 00  00 00 00 00  00 00 00 [pg]   [ready for footer]
 
-   00 00 00 [xx]  00 00 00 00  00 00 00 [pg] [error]
+   00 ** ** [xx]  00 00 00 00  00 00 00 [pg] [error]
 
    [xx]:
 	01:  Generic communication error
diff --git a/selphy_print.c b/selphy_print.c
index 06f7a8d..aa330cb 100644
--- a/selphy_print.c
+++ b/selphy_print.c
@@ -438,8 +438,9 @@ top:
 	}
 	fflush(stderr);       
 
-	if (!memcmp(rdbuf, printers[printer_type].error_readback, READBACK_LEN)) {
-		DEBUG("error condition; aborting.  (Out of ribbon/paper?)\n");
+	if (printers[printer_type].error_offset != -1 &&
+	    rdbuf[printers[printer_type].error_offset]) {
+		ERROR("error condition; aborting.  (Out of ribbon/paper?)\n");
 		ret = 4;
 		goto done_claimed;
 	}
diff --git a/selphy_print_common.h b/selphy_print_common.h
index c2ef71a..3a66cf2 100644
--- a/selphy_print_common.h
+++ b/selphy_print_common.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
  *
  */
 
-#define VERSION "0.39"
+#define VERSION "0.40"
 
 #define DEBUG( ... ) fprintf(stderr, "DEBUG: " __VA_ARGS__ )
 #define ERROR( ... ) fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: " __VA_ARGS__ )
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ struct printer_data {
 	int16_t ready_m_readback[READBACK_LEN];
 	int16_t ready_c_readback[READBACK_LEN];
 	int16_t done_c_readback[READBACK_LEN];
-	int16_t error_readback[READBACK_LEN];
 	int16_t paper_codes[256];
 	int16_t pgcode_offset;  /* Offset into printjob for paper type */
 	int16_t paper_code_offset; /* Offset in readback for paper type */
+	int16_t error_offset;
 };
 
 /* printer types */
@@ -82,10 +82,10 @@ struct printer_data printers[P_END] = {
 	  .ready_m_readback = { 0x04, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, -1, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  .ready_c_readback = { 0x04, 0x00, 0x07, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, -1, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  .done_c_readback = { 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x02, 0x01, -1, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
-	  .error_readback = { -1, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, -1, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  // .paper_codes
 	  .pgcode_offset = 3,
 	  .paper_code_offset = 6,
+	  .error_offset = 1,
 	},
 	{ .type = P_ES2_20,
 	  .model = "SELPHY ES2/ES20",
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ struct printer_data printers[P_END] = {
 	  .ready_m_readback = { 0x06, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, -1, 0x00, -1, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  .ready_c_readback = { 0x09, 0x00, 0x07, 0x00, -1, 0x00, -1, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  .done_c_readback = { 0x09, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1, 0x00, -1, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
-	  .error_readback = { 0x14, 0x00, -1, 0x00, -1, 0x00, -1, 0x00, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 }, // XXX insufficient
 	  // .paper_codes
 	  .pgcode_offset = 2,
 	  .paper_code_offset = 4,
+	  .error_offset = 1,  // XXX insufficient
 	},
 	{ .type = P_ES3_30,
 	  .model = "SELPHY ES3/ES30",
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ struct printer_data printers[P_END] = {
 	  .ready_m_readback = { 0x03, 0xff, 0x02, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  .ready_c_readback = { 0x05, 0xff, 0x03, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
 	  .done_c_readback = { 0x00, 0xff, 0x10, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00 },
-	  .error_readback = { 0x00, 0xff, 0x01, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, -1, 0x00, -1, 0x00 },
 	  // .paper_codes
 	  .pgcode_offset = 2,
 	  .paper_code_offset = -1,
+	  .error_offset = 8, // or 10
 	},
 	{ .type = P_ES40_CP790,
 	  .model = "SELPHY ES40/CP790",
@@ -124,10 +124,10 @@ struct printer_data printers[P_END] = {
 	  .ready_m_readback = { 0x00, 0x03, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
 	  .ready_c_readback = { 0x00, 0x05, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
 	  .done_c_readback = { 0x00, 0x00, 0x10, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
-	  .error_readback = { 0x00, -1, -1, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
 	  // .paper_codes
 	  .pgcode_offset = 2,
 	  .paper_code_offset = 11,
+	  .error_offset = 3,
 	},
 	{ .type = P_CP_XXX,
 	  .model = "SELPHY CP Series (!CP790)",
@@ -138,10 +138,10 @@ struct printer_data printers[P_END] = {
 	  .ready_m_readback = { 0x04, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
 	  .ready_c_readback = { 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
 	  .done_c_readback = { 0x20, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
-	  .error_readback = { 0x02, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x70, 0x00, -1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, -1 },
 	  // .paper_codes
 	  .pgcode_offset = 3,
 	  .paper_code_offset = 6,
+	  .error_offset = 2,
 	},
 };
 
diff --git a/selphy_print_linux.c b/selphy_print_linux.c
index 5ac5d94..5b48d20 100644
--- a/selphy_print_linux.c
+++ b/selphy_print_linux.c
@@ -172,8 +172,9 @@ top:
 	}
 	fflush(stderr);
 
-	if (!memcmp(rdbuf, printers[printer_type].error_readback, READBACK_LEN)) {
-		DEBUG("error condition; aborting.  (Out of ribbon/paper?)\n");
+	if (printers[printer_type].error_offset != -1 &&
+	    rdbuf[printers[printer_type].error_offset]) {
+		ERROR("error condition; aborting.  (Out of ribbon/paper?)\n");
 		return 4;
 	}