diff --git a/src/backend.c b/src/backend.c
index 15d85da..f794ea5 100644
--- a/src/backend.c
+++ b/src/backend.c
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@
 		/* if not retryable anymore, let's abort */
 		tv_eternity(&t->req->cex);
 		srv_close_with_err(t, conn_err, SN_FINST_C,
-				   503, t->fe->errmsg.len503, t->fe->errmsg.msg503);
+				   503, &t->fe->errmsg[HTTP_ERR_503]);
 		if (t->srv)
 			t->srv->failed_conns++;
 		t->be->beprm->failed_conns++;
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@
 		case SN_ERR_INTERNAL:
 			tv_eternity(&t->req->cex);
 			srv_close_with_err(t, SN_ERR_INTERNAL, SN_FINST_C,
-					   500, t->fe->errmsg.len500, t->fe->errmsg.msg500);
+					   500, &t->fe->errmsg[HTTP_ERR_500]);
 			if (t->srv)
 				t->srv->failed_conns++;
 			t->be->beprm->failed_conns++;
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@
 		/* note: it is guaranteed that t->srv == NULL here */
 		tv_eternity(&t->req->cex);
 		srv_close_with_err(t, SN_ERR_SRVTO, SN_FINST_C,
-				   503, t->fe->errmsg.len503, t->fe->errmsg.msg503);
+				   503, &t->fe->errmsg[HTTP_ERR_503]);
 		if (t->srv)
 			t->srv->failed_conns++;
 		t->be->beprm->failed_conns++;
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@
 	default:
 		tv_eternity(&t->req->cex);
 		srv_close_with_err(t, SN_ERR_INTERNAL, SN_FINST_C,
-				   500, t->fe->errmsg.len500, t->fe->errmsg.msg500);
+				   500, &t->fe->errmsg[HTTP_ERR_500]);
 		if (t->srv)
 			t->srv->failed_conns++;
 		t->be->beprm->failed_conns++;