diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 3176fcf..a2afcc5 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,30 @@
 use ResultCode;
 
+use std::convert::{From, Into};
+
 /// An error.
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Error {
     pub code: ResultCode,
     pub message: Option<String>,
 }
+
+impl<T> From<T> for Error where T: Into<String> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(message: T) -> Error {
+        Error {
+            code: ResultCode::Error,
+            message: Some(message.into()),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<ResultCode> for Error {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(code: ResultCode) -> Error {
+        Error {
+            code: code,
+            message: None,
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 6319380..163e15d 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,22 +3,15 @@
 extern crate libc;
 extern crate sqlite3_sys as raw;
 
-use std::path::Path;
-
 macro_rules! raise(
-    ($message:expr) => (
-        return Err(::Error { code: ::ResultCode::Error, message: Some($message.to_string()) })
-    );
-    ($code:expr, $message:expr) => (
-        return Err(::Error { code: $code, message: $message })
-    );
+    ($message:expr) => (return Err(::Error::from($message)));
 );
 
 macro_rules! success(
     ($result:expr) => (
         match $result {
             ::raw::SQLITE_OK => {},
-            code => raise!(::result::code_from_raw(code), None),
+            code => return Err(::Error::from(::result::code_from_raw(code))),
         }
     );
 );
@@ -63,6 +56,6 @@ pub use statement::{Statement, Binding, Value};
 
 /// Open a database.
 #[inline]
-pub fn open(path: &Path) -> Result<Database> {
+pub fn open(path: &std::path::Path) -> Result<Database> {
     Database::open(path)
 }