diff --git a/serial_unix.go b/serial_unix.go
index db6158d..e025d2d 100644
--- a/serial_unix.go
+++ b/serial_unix.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 package serial
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
@@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ func nativeOpen(portName string, mode *Mode) (*unixPort, error) {
 	settings, err := port.getTermSettings()
 	if err != nil {
 		port.Close()
-		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort}
+		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: fmt.Errorf("error getting term settings: %w", err)}
 	}
 
 	// Set raw mode
@@ -243,14 +244,14 @@ func nativeOpen(portName string, mode *Mode) (*unixPort, error) {
 
 	if port.setTermSettings(settings) != nil {
 		port.Close()
-		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort}
+		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: fmt.Errorf("error setting term settings: %w", err)}
 	}
 
 	if mode.InitialStatusBits != nil {
 		status, err := port.getModemBitsStatus()
 		if err != nil {
 			port.Close()
-			return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: err}
+			return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: fmt.Errorf("error getting modem bits status: %w", err)}
 		}
 		if mode.InitialStatusBits.DTR {
 			status |= unix.TIOCM_DTR
@@ -264,15 +265,15 @@ func nativeOpen(portName string, mode *Mode) (*unixPort, error) {
 		}
 		if err := port.setModemBitsStatus(status); err != nil {
 			port.Close()
-			return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: err}
+			return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: fmt.Errorf("error setting modem bits status: %w", err)}
 		}
 	}
 
 	// MacOSX require that this operation is the last one otherwise an
 	// 'Invalid serial port' error is returned... don't know why...
-	if port.SetMode(mode) != nil {
+	if err := port.SetMode(mode); err != nil {
 		port.Close()
-		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort}
+		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: fmt.Errorf("error configuring port: %w", err)}
 	}
 
 	unix.SetNonblock(h, false)
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ func nativeOpen(portName string, mode *Mode) (*unixPort, error) {
 	pipe := &unixutils.Pipe{}
 	if err := pipe.Open(); err != nil {
 		port.Close()
-		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: err}
+		return nil, &PortError{code: InvalidSerialPort, causedBy: fmt.Errorf("error opening signaling pipe: %w", err)}
 	}
 	port.closeSignal = pipe