diff --git a/api/api_full.go b/api/api_full.go
index 13add2130..db49f3571 100644
--- a/api/api_full.go
+++ b/api/api_full.go
@@ -178,9 +178,10 @@ type Import struct {
 type DealInfo struct {
 	ProposalCid cid.Cid
 	State       storagemarket.StorageDealStatus
+	Message     string // more information about deal state, particularly errors
 	Provider    address.Address
 
-	PieceRef []byte // cid bytes
+	PieceCID cid.Cid
 	Size     uint64
 
 	PricePerEpoch types.BigInt
diff --git a/cli/client.go b/cli/client.go
index d8af62fd1..9f6b12e69 100644
--- a/cli/client.go
+++ b/cli/client.go
@@ -429,9 +429,9 @@ var clientListDeals = &cli.Command{
 		}
 
 		w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 2, 4, 2, ' ', 0)
-		fmt.Fprintf(w, "DealCid\tProvider\tState\tPieceRef\tSize\tPrice\tDuration\n")
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "DealCid\tProvider\tState\tPieceCID\tSize\tPrice\tDuration\tMessage\n")
 		for _, d := range deals {
-			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%x\t%d\t%s\t%d\n", d.ProposalCid, d.Provider, storagemarket.DealStates[d.State], d.PieceRef, d.Size, d.PricePerEpoch, d.Duration)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\t%d\t%s\t%d\t%s\n", d.ProposalCid, d.Provider, storagemarket.DealStates[d.State], d.PieceCID, d.Size, d.PricePerEpoch, d.Duration, d.Message)
 		}
 		return w.Flush()
 	},
diff --git a/node/impl/client/client.go b/node/impl/client/client.go
index dcc61866a..ea8d57c6b 100644
--- a/node/impl/client/client.go
+++ b/node/impl/client/client.go
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ package client
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
-	"github.com/filecoin-project/sector-storage/ffiwrapper"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/sector-storage/ffiwrapper"
+
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/specs-actors/actors/abi/big"
 	"golang.org/x/xerrors"
 
@@ -125,9 +126,10 @@ func (a *API) ClientListDeals(ctx context.Context) ([]api.DealInfo, error) {
 		out[k] = api.DealInfo{
 			ProposalCid: v.ProposalCid,
 			State:       v.State,
+			Message:     v.Message,
 			Provider:    v.Proposal.Provider,
 
-			PieceRef: v.Proposal.PieceCID.Bytes(),
+			PieceCID: v.Proposal.PieceCID,
 			Size:     uint64(v.Proposal.PieceSize.Unpadded()),
 
 			PricePerEpoch: v.Proposal.StoragePricePerEpoch,
@@ -148,8 +150,9 @@ func (a *API) ClientGetDealInfo(ctx context.Context, d cid.Cid) (*api.DealInfo,
 	return &api.DealInfo{
 		ProposalCid:   v.ProposalCid,
 		State:         v.State,
+		Message:       v.Message,
 		Provider:      v.Proposal.Provider,
-		PieceRef:      v.Proposal.PieceCID.Bytes(),
+		PieceCID:      v.Proposal.PieceCID,
 		Size:          uint64(v.Proposal.PieceSize.Unpadded()),
 		PricePerEpoch: v.Proposal.StoragePricePerEpoch,
 		Duration:      uint64(v.Proposal.Duration()),