diff --git a/src/decrypt.c b/src/decrypt.c
index 896a873f..e5d2f7c7 100644
--- a/src/decrypt.c
+++ b/src/decrypt.c
@@ -377,7 +377,9 @@ _gpgme_decrypt_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code,
   switch (code)
     {
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/encrypt.c b/src/encrypt.c
index c5f668ea..241748cd 100644
--- a/src/encrypt.c
+++ b/src/encrypt.c
@@ -126,7 +126,9 @@ _gpgme_encrypt_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code,
   switch (code)
     {
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/export.c b/src/export.c
index d5137866..090db8b5 100644
--- a/src/export.c
+++ b/src/export.c
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ export_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     default:
diff --git a/src/genkey.c b/src/genkey.c
index 77576b18..89e1d985 100644
--- a/src/genkey.c
+++ b/src/genkey.c
@@ -172,7 +172,9 @@ genkey_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/keylist.c b/src/keylist.c
index 2f6ae824..1d8c8184 100644
--- a/src/keylist.c
+++ b/src/keylist.c
@@ -150,7 +150,9 @@ keylist_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       if (opd->failure_code && !strcmp (args, "option-parser")
           && gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
         err = gpg_error (GPG_ERR_INV_ENGINE);
diff --git a/src/keysign.c b/src/keysign.c
index 44ab5ff2..1a3c8a54 100644
--- a/src/keysign.c
+++ b/src/keysign.c
@@ -113,7 +113,9 @@ keysign_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/passwd.c b/src/passwd.c
index 0ba8c08d..b29b29c7 100644
--- a/src/passwd.c
+++ b/src/passwd.c
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ passwd_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/revsig.c b/src/revsig.c
index 8c61f730..1d0276a8 100644
--- a/src/revsig.c
+++ b/src/revsig.c
@@ -101,7 +101,9 @@ revsig_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/setexpire.c b/src/setexpire.c
index 5161499a..ed09f5f9 100644
--- a/src/setexpire.c
+++ b/src/setexpire.c
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ setexpire_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/sign.c b/src/sign.c
index 51f581ca..1563c1dd 100644
--- a/src/sign.c
+++ b/src/sign.c
@@ -363,7 +363,9 @@ _gpgme_sign_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/tofupolicy.c b/src/tofupolicy.c
index 79593186..24aaf285 100644
--- a/src/tofupolicy.c
+++ b/src/tofupolicy.c
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ tofu_policy_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF:
diff --git a/src/verify.c b/src/verify.c
index 3ae94c65..8d87cad3 100644
--- a/src/verify.c
+++ b/src/verify.c
@@ -1055,7 +1055,9 @@ _gpgme_verify_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
       return parse_error (sig, args, !!sig );
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_FAILURE:
-      opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
+      if (!opd->failure_code
+          || gpg_err_code (opd->failure_code) == GPG_ERR_GENERAL)
+        opd->failure_code = _gpgme_parse_failure (args);
       break;
 
     case GPGME_STATUS_EOF: