diff --git a/pygccxml/parser/source_reader.py b/pygccxml/parser/source_reader.py
index d864554b..6a2e0b11 100644
--- a/pygccxml/parser/source_reader.py
+++ b/pygccxml/parser/source_reader.py
@@ -235,7 +235,8 @@ def create_xml_file(self, source_file, destination=None):
         process = subprocess.Popen(
             args=command_line,
             shell=True,
-            stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+            stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
 
         try:
             results = []
@@ -246,9 +247,12 @@ def create_xml_file(self, source_file, destination=None):
             for line in process.stdout.readlines():
                 if line.strip():
                     results.append(line.rstrip())
+            for line in process.stderr.readlines():
+                if line.strip():
+                    results.append(line.rstrip())
 
             exit_status = process.returncode
-            msg = os.linesep.join([str(s) for s in results])
+            msg = os.linesep.join([str(s.decode()) for s in results])
             if self.__config.ignore_gccxml_output:
                 if not os.path.isfile(xml_file):
                     raise RuntimeError(
diff --git a/unittests/source_reader_tester.py b/unittests/source_reader_tester.py
index ce286451..4841eafb 100644
--- a/unittests/source_reader_tester.py
+++ b/unittests/source_reader_tester.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # See http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt
 
 import unittest
+import os
 
 from . import parser_test_case
 
@@ -31,6 +32,17 @@ def test_compound_argument_type(self):
         self.assertTrue(do_smth, "unable to find do_smth")
         do_smth.function_type()
 
+    def test_stderr_present_and_readable(self):
+        with open(os.path.join('unittests', 'data', self.header), 'r') as f:
+            source_str = f.read()
+
+        err_str = "add some stuff that should not compile"
+        source_str += err_str
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as e_context:
+            decls = parser.parse_string(source_str, self.config)
+
+        self.assertIn(err_str, e_context.exception.args[0])
+
 
 def create_suite():
     suite = unittest.TestSuite()