diff --git a/src/Servebolt/Response.php b/src/Servebolt/Response.php
index da01028..9b032b3 100644
--- a/src/Servebolt/Response.php
+++ b/src/Servebolt/Response.php
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ private function parseMessages() : void
             return;
         }
         if (isset($this->responseBody->messages) && is_array($this->responseBody->messages)) {
-            $this->messages = $this->responseBody->messages;
+            $this->setMessages($this->responseBody->messages);
         }
     }
 
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ private function parseErrors() : void
             return;
         }
         if (isset($this->responseBody->errors) && is_array($this->responseBody->errors)) {
-            $this->errors = $this->responseBody->errors;
+            $this->setErrors($this->responseBody->errors);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasErrors.php b/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasErrors.php
index 734ae2b..1459a92 100644
--- a/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasErrors.php
+++ b/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasErrors.php
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ trait HasErrors
 
     private $errors = [];
 
+    /**
+     * @param array $errors
+     */
+    private function setErrors($errors) : void
+    {
+        $this->errors = $errors;
+    }
+
     public function hasErrors() : bool
     {
         return ! empty($this->errors);
@@ -38,7 +46,7 @@ public function getFirstError()
     public function getFirstErrorMessage()
     {
         if ($error = $this->getFirstError()) {
-            return $error->message;
+            return $error->title;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasMessages.php b/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasMessages.php
index c722296..1049235 100644
--- a/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasMessages.php
+++ b/src/Servebolt/Traits/HasMessages.php
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ trait HasMessages
 
     private $messages = [];
 
+    /**
+     * @param array $messages
+     */
+    private function setMessages($messages) : void
+    {
+        $this->messages = $messages;
+    }
+
     public function hasMessages() : bool
     {
         return count($this->messages) > 0;
@@ -22,6 +30,16 @@ public function getMessages() : array
         return $this->messages;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return null|string
+     */
+    public function getFirstMessageString()
+    {
+        if ($message = $this->getFirstMessage()) {
+            return $message->message;
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * @return null|object
      */
diff --git a/tests/Unit/ResponseObjectTest.php b/tests/Unit/ResponseObjectTest.php
index a71b56f..e80f86c 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/ResponseObjectTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/ResponseObjectTest.php
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public function testResponseWithErrorMessages()
         $this->assertEquals($errorMessages, $responseObject->getErrors());
         $this->assertEquals(current($errorMessages), $responseObject->getFirstError());
         $this->assertEquals('Invalid input', $responseObject->getFirstError()->title);
+        $this->assertEquals('Invalid input', $responseObject->getFirstErrorMessage());
         $this->assertEquals('Invalid URL www.servebolt.nl.', $responseObject->getFirstError()->detail);
         $this->assertEquals('1115', $responseObject->getFirstError()->code);
         $this->assertEquals((object) [], $responseObject->getFirstError()->source);
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ public function testResponseWithMessages()
         $this->assertTrue($responseObject->hasMessages());
         $this->assertEquals($messages, $responseObject->getMessages());
         $this->assertEquals(current($messages), $responseObject->getFirstMessage());
+        $this->assertEquals('This is a notification about something', $responseObject->getFirstMessageString());
         $this->assertEquals('This is a notification about something', $responseObject->getFirstMessage()->message);
     }