diff --git a/examples_test.go b/examples_test.go
index ceca922..8b70aca 100644
--- a/examples_test.go
+++ b/examples_test.go
@@ -178,6 +178,35 @@ func ExampleHandler_deny() {
 	// Try expired token… HTTP 401 Bearer error="invalid_token", error_description="jwt: time constraints exceeded"
 }
 
+// Custom Response Format
+func ExampleHandler_error() {
+	h := &jwt.Handler{
+		Keys: &jwt.KeyRegister{ECDSAs: []*ecdsa.PublicKey{&someECKey.PublicKey}},
+
+		// JSON messages instead of plain text
+		Error: func(w http.ResponseWriter, error string, statusCode int) {
+			w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json;charset=UTF-8")
+			w.WriteHeader(statusCode)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, `{"msg": %q}`, error)
+		},
+	}
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/had-something-for-this", nil)
+	var c jwt.Claims
+	c.Expires = jwt.NewNumericTime(time.Now().Add(-time.Second))
+	if err := c.ECDSASignHeader(req, jwt.ES512, someECKey); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("sign error:", err)
+	}
+
+	resp := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.ServeHTTP(resp, req)
+	fmt.Println("HTTP", resp.Code, resp.Header().Get("WWW-Authenticate"))
+	fmt.Println(resp.Body)
+	// Output:
+	// HTTP 401 Bearer error="invalid_token", error_description="jwt: time constraints exceeded"
+	// {"msg": "jwt: time constraints exceeded"}
+}
+
 // Func As A Request Filter
 func ExampleHandler_filter() {
 	h := &jwt.Handler{
diff --git a/web.go b/web.go
index 17b2855..eae55f3 100644
--- a/web.go
+++ b/web.go
@@ -169,9 +169,17 @@ type Handler struct {
 	// as a filter or as an extended http.HandlerFunc.
 	Func func(http.ResponseWriter, *http.Request, *Claims) (pass bool)
 
-	// WriteError allows for custom error responses. When nil it defaults to http.Error.
-	// The appropriate WWW-Authenticate header is already present on w.
-	WriteError func(w http.ResponseWriter, error string, code int)
+	// Error sends a custom response. Nil defaults to http.Error.
+	// The appropriate WWW-Authenticate value is already present.
+	Error func(w http.ResponseWriter, error string, statusCode int)
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) error(w http.ResponseWriter, error string, statusCode int) {
+	if h.Error != nil {
+		h.Error(w, error, statusCode)
+	} else {
+		http.Error(w, error, statusCode)
+	}
 }
 
 // ServeHTTP honors the http.Handler interface.
@@ -184,22 +192,14 @@ func (h *Handler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		} else {
 			w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", `Bearer error="invalid_token", error_description=`+strconv.QuoteToASCII(err.Error()))
 		}
-		if h.WriteError != nil {
-			h.WriteError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusUnauthorized)
-			return
-		}
-		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		h.error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusUnauthorized)
 		return
 	}
 
 	// verify time constraints
 	if !claims.Valid(time.Now()) {
 		w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", `Bearer error="invalid_token", error_description="jwt: time constraints exceeded"`)
-		if h.WriteError != nil {
-			h.WriteError(w, "jwt: time constraints exceeded", http.StatusUnauthorized)
-			return
-		}
-		http.Error(w, "jwt: time constraints exceeded", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		h.error(w, "jwt: time constraints exceeded", http.StatusUnauthorized)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -227,11 +227,7 @@ func (h *Handler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		if !ok {
 			msg := "jwt: want string for claim " + claimName
 			w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", `Bearer error="invalid_token", error_description=`+strconv.QuoteToASCII(msg))
-			if h.WriteError != nil {
-				h.WriteError(w, msg, http.StatusUnauthorized)
-				return
-			}
-			http.Error(w, msg, http.StatusUnauthorized)
+			h.error(w, msg, http.StatusUnauthorized)
 			return
 		}
 
@@ -244,4 +240,4 @@ func (h *Handler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	h.Target.ServeHTTP(w, r)
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}