diff --git a/programs/util/strerror.c b/programs/util/strerror.c
index b8e69db..8b76228 100644
--- a/programs/util/strerror.c
+++ b/programs/util/strerror.c
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
 #include "polarssl/error.h"
 
 #define USAGE \
-    "\n usage: strerror <errorcode>\n"
+    "\n usage: strerror <errorcode>\n" \
+    "\n where <errorcode> can be a decimal or hexadecimal (starts with 0x or -0x)\n"
 
 #if !defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_C) && !defined(POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY)
 int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
@@ -44,13 +45,14 @@
     ((void) argc);
     ((void) argv);
 
-    printf("POLARSSL_ERROR_C and/or POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERRO_DUMMY not defined.\n");
+    printf("POLARSSL_ERROR_C and/or POLARSSL_ERROR_STRERROR_DUMMY not defined.\n");
     return( 0 );
 }
 #else
 int main( int argc, char *argv[] )
 {
-    int ret;
+    long int val;
+    char *end = argv[1];
 
     if( argc != 2 )
     {
@@ -58,15 +60,24 @@
         return( 0 );
     }
 
-    ret = atoi( argv[1] );
-    if( ret > 0 )
-        ret = - ret;
+    val = strtol( argv[1], &end, 10 );
+    if( *end != '\0' )
+    {
+        val = strtol( argv[1], &end, 16 );
+        if( *end != '\0' )
+        {
+            printf( USAGE );
+            return( 0 );
+        }
+    }
+    if( val > 0 )
+        val = -val;
 
-    if( ret != 0 )
+    if( val != 0 )
     {
         char error_buf[200];
-        polarssl_strerror( ret, error_buf, 200 );
-        printf("Last error was: %d - %s\n\n", ret, error_buf );
+        polarssl_strerror( val, error_buf, 200 );
+        printf("Last error was: -0x%04x - %s\n\n", (int) -val, error_buf );
     }
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
@@ -74,6 +85,6 @@
     fflush( stdout ); getchar();
 #endif
 
-    return( ret );
+    return( val );
 }
 #endif /* POLARSSL_ERROR_C */