diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2513bb30..4e930b13 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 * Add "char" type support (Manni Wood)
 * Add NullOid type (Manni Wood)
 * Add json/jsonb binary support to allow use with CopyTo
+* Add named error ErrAcquireTimeout (Alexander Staubo)
 
 # 2.9.0 (August 26, 2016)
 
diff --git a/conn_pool.go b/conn_pool.go
index 6fbe143a..eac731dc 100644
--- a/conn_pool.go
+++ b/conn_pool.go
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ type ConnPoolStat struct {
 	AvailableConnections int // unused live connections
 }
 
+// ErrAcquireTimeout occurs when an attempt to acquire a connection times out.
+var ErrAcquireTimeout = errors.New("timeout acquiring connection from pool")
+
 // NewConnPool creates a new ConnPool. config.ConnConfig is passed through to
 // Connect directly.
 func NewConnPool(config ConnPoolConfig) (p *ConnPool, err error) {
@@ -131,7 +134,7 @@ func (p *ConnPool) acquire(deadline *time.Time) (*Conn, error) {
 
 	// Make sure the deadline (if it is) has not passed yet
 	if p.deadlinePassed(deadline) {
-		return nil, errors.New("Timeout: Acquire connection timeout")
+		return nil, ErrAcquireTimeout
 	}
 
 	// If there is a deadline then start a timeout timer
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@ func (p *ConnPool) acquire(deadline *time.Time) (*Conn, error) {
 	// Wait until there is an available connection OR room to create a new connection
 	for len(p.availableConnections) == 0 && len(p.allConnections)+p.inProgressConnects == p.maxConnections {
 		if p.deadlinePassed(deadline) {
-			return nil, errors.New("Timeout: All connections in pool are busy")
+			return nil, ErrAcquireTimeout
 		}
 		p.cond.Wait()
 	}
diff --git a/conn_pool_test.go b/conn_pool_test.go
index 2163f515..71a361a6 100644
--- a/conn_pool_test.go
+++ b/conn_pool_test.go
@@ -276,8 +276,8 @@ func TestPoolWithAcquireTimeoutSet(t *testing.T) {
 	// ... then try to consume 1 more. It should fail after a short timeout.
 	_, timeTaken, err := acquireWithTimeTaken(pool)
 
-	if err == nil || err.Error() != "Timeout: All connections in pool are busy" {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected error to be 'Timeout: All connections in pool are busy', instead it was '%v'", err)
+	if err == nil || err != pgx.ErrAcquireTimeout {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected error to be pgx.ErrAcquireTimeout, instead it was '%v'", err)
 	}
 	if timeTaken < connAllocTimeout {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected connection allocation time to be at least %v, instead it was '%v'", connAllocTimeout, timeTaken)