diff --git a/src/database.c b/src/database.c
index a0cb674..804640b 100644
--- a/src/database.c
+++ b/src/database.c
@@ -162,6 +162,8 @@ simdb_error(int error) {
     return "no such record in database";
   } else if (error == SIMDB_ERR_USAGE) {
     return "wrong parameters passed to finction";
+  } else if (error == SIMDB_ERR_SAMPLER) {
+    return "given file not an image, damaged or has unsupported format";
   }
   return "unknown error";
 }
diff --git a/src/simdb.h b/src/simdb.h
index a40ff46..4782f7d 100644
--- a/src/simdb.h
+++ b/src/simdb.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #define SIMDB_ERR_NXRECORD    -5 /**< no such record in database */
 #define SIMDB_ERR_READONLY    -6 /**< database opened in read-only mode */
 #define SIMDB_ERR_USAGE       -7 /**< wrong arguments passed */
+#define SIMDB_ERR_SAMPLER     -8 /**< given file not an image, damaged or has unsupported format */
 /** @} */
 
 /** opaque database handler */