diff --git a/exporter/otlpexporter/otlp.go b/exporter/otlpexporter/otlp.go
index b520b26b277..c7ac37a3540 100644
--- a/exporter/otlpexporter/otlp.go
+++ b/exporter/otlpexporter/otlp.go
@@ -42,10 +42,6 @@ type exporterImp struct {
 	w      *grpcSender
 }
 
-var (
-	errPermanentError = consumererror.Permanent(errors.New("fatal error sending to server"))
-)
-
 // Crete new exporter and start it. The exporter will begin connecting but
 // this function may return before the connection is established.
 func newExporter(cfg configmodels.Exporter) (*exporterImp, error) {
@@ -184,7 +180,7 @@ func processError(err error) error {
 
 	if !shouldRetry(st.Code()) {
 		// It is not a retryable error, we should not retry.
-		return errPermanentError
+		return consumererror.Permanent(err)
 	}
 
 	// Need to retry.