diff --git a/v2/apierror/apierror.go b/v2/apierror/apierror.go
index d785a065..7de60773 100644
--- a/v2/apierror/apierror.go
+++ b/v2/apierror/apierror.go
@@ -206,8 +206,10 @@ func (a *APIError) Error() string {
 		// Truncate the googleapi.Error message because it dumps the Details in
 		// an ugly way.
 		msg = fmt.Sprintf("googleapi: Error %d: %s", a.httpErr.Code, a.httpErr.Message)
-	} else if a.status != nil {
+	} else if a.status != nil && a.err != nil {
 		msg = a.err.Error()
+	} else if a.status != nil {
+		msg = a.status.Message()
 	}
 	return strings.TrimSpace(fmt.Sprintf("%s\n%s", msg, a.details))
 }
diff --git a/v2/apierror/apierror_test.go b/v2/apierror/apierror_test.go
index c3f28dc1..b21c206f 100644
--- a/v2/apierror/apierror_test.go
+++ b/v2/apierror/apierror_test.go
@@ -465,30 +465,56 @@ func TestParseError(t *testing.T) {
 	se := errors.New("standard error")
 
 	tests := []struct {
-		source error
-		apierr *APIError
-		b      bool
+		name       string
+		source     error
+		wantErr    *APIError
+		wantParsed bool
 	}{
-		{hae, &APIError{httpErr: hae, status: haeS, details: ErrDetails{ErrorInfo: httpErrInfo}}, true},
-		{se, &APIError{err: se}, false},
+		{
+			name:       "with http ErrorInfo details",
+			source:     hae,
+			wantErr:    &APIError{httpErr: hae, status: haeS, details: ErrDetails{ErrorInfo: httpErrInfo}},
+			wantParsed: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "standard error no details",
+			source:     se,
+			wantErr:    &APIError{err: se},
+			wantParsed: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "grpc status no details",
+			source:     haeS.Err(),
+			wantErr:    &APIError{httpErr: hae, status: haeS, details: ErrDetails{}},
+			wantParsed: true,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		// ParseError with wrap = true is covered by TestFromError, above.
-		got, apiB := ParseError(tc.source, false)
-		if tc.b != apiB {
-			t.Errorf("ParseError(%s, false): got %v, want %v", tc.apierr, apiB, tc.b)
+		got, gotParsed := ParseError(tc.source, false)
+		if tc.wantParsed != gotParsed {
+			t.Errorf("ParseError(%s, false): got %v, want %v", tc.wantErr, gotParsed, tc.wantParsed)
 		}
-		if tc.b {
-			if diff := cmp.Diff(got.details, tc.apierr.details, cmp.Comparer(proto.Equal)); diff != "" {
+		if got != nil {
+			if got.Error() == "" {
+				t.Errorf("got.Error(): got %q, want non-empty", got.Error())
+			}
+		}
+		if tc.wantParsed {
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(got.details, tc.wantErr.details, cmp.Comparer(proto.Equal)); diff != "" {
 				t.Errorf("got(-), want(+),: \n%s", diff)
 			}
-			if diff := cmp.Diff(got.status, tc.apierr.status, cmp.Comparer(proto.Equal), cmp.AllowUnexported(status.Status{})); diff != "" {
+			if diff := cmp.Diff(got.status, tc.wantErr.status, cmp.Comparer(proto.Equal), cmp.AllowUnexported(status.Status{})); diff != "" {
 				t.Errorf("got(-), want(+),: \n%s", diff)
 			}
 			if got.err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("got %s, want nil", got.err)
 			}
+		} else {
+			if got != nil {
+				t.Errorf("got %s, want nil", got)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	if err, _ := ParseError(nil, false); err != nil {