1 files changed, 8 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/git/exc.py b/git/exc.py
index ba57c624..42191c62 100644
--- a/git/exc.py
+++ b/git/exc.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 
 from gitdb.exc import *     # NOQA
 
+from git.compat import defenc
+
 
 class InvalidGitRepositoryError(Exception):
 
@@ -29,10 +31,12 @@ class GitCommandError(Exception):
         self.command = command
 
     def __str__(self):
-        ret = "'%s' returned exit status %i: %s" % \
-              (' '.join(str(i) for i in self.command), self.status, self.stderr)
-        if self.stdout is not None:
-            ret += "\nstdout: %s" % self.stdout
+        ret = "'%s' returned with exit code %i" % \
+              (' '.join(str(i) for i in self.command), self.status)
+        if self.stderr:
+            ret += "\nstderr: '%s'" % self.stderr.decode(defenc)
+        if self.stdout:
+            ret += "\nstdout: '%s'" % self.stdout.decode(defenc)
         return ret