diff --git a/include/debugger.h b/include/debugger.h
index 96c3155..78b5408 100644
--- a/include/debugger.h
+++ b/include/debugger.h
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@
 
 struct ain_variable;
 
+enum dbg_stop_type {
+	DBG_STOP_PAUSE,
+	DBG_STOP_ERROR,
+	DBG_STOP_BREAKPOINT,
+	DBG_STOP_STEP,
+};
+
+struct dbg_stop {
+	enum dbg_stop_type type;
+	const char *message;
+};
+
 struct breakpoint {
 	enum opcode restore_op;
 	void *data;
@@ -54,7 +66,7 @@ extern unsigned dbg_current_frame;
 
 void dbg_init(void);
 void dbg_fini(void);
-void dbg_repl(void);
+void dbg_repl(enum dbg_stop_type, const char *msg);
 
 void dbg_log(const char *log, const char *fmt, va_list ap);
 
@@ -80,7 +92,7 @@ struct string *dbg_value_to_string(struct ain_type *type, union vm_value value,
 
 void dbg_dap_init(void);
 void dbg_dap_quit(void);
-void dbg_dap_repl(void);
+void dbg_dap_repl(struct dbg_stop *stop);
 void dbg_dap_handle_messages(void);
 void dbg_dap_log(const char *log, const char *fmt, va_list ap);
 
diff --git a/src/debug.c b/src/debug.c
index b1dc80d..d21286e 100644
--- a/src/debug.c
+++ b/src/debug.c
@@ -73,19 +73,25 @@ void dbg_start(void(*fun)(void*), void *data)
 	fun(data);
 }
 
-static void _dbg_repl(void *_)
+static void _dbg_repl(void *stop)
 {
 	if (dbg_dap)
-		dbg_dap_repl();
+		dbg_dap_repl(stop);
 	else
 		dbg_cmd_repl();
 }
 
-void dbg_repl(void)
+void dbg_repl(enum dbg_stop_type type, const char *msg)
 {
 	if (!dbg_enabled)
 		return;
-	dbg_start(_dbg_repl, NULL);
+
+	struct dbg_stop stop = {
+		.type = type,
+		.message = msg,
+	};
+
+	dbg_start(_dbg_repl, &stop);
 }
 
 void dbg_init(void)
@@ -97,8 +103,9 @@ void dbg_init(void)
 #ifdef HAVE_SCHEME
 	dbg_scm_init();
 #endif
-	if (!dbg_dap && dbg_start_in_debugger)
-		dbg_repl();
+	if (!dbg_dap && dbg_start_in_debugger) {
+		dbg_repl(DBG_STOP_PAUSE, "");
+	}
 }
 
 void dbg_fini(void)
@@ -216,7 +223,8 @@ static void dbg_step_breakpoint_cb(struct breakpoint *bp)
 	if ((intptr_t)bp->data != call_stack_ptr)
 		return;
 	delete_breakpoint(instr_ptr, bp);
-	_dbg_repl(NULL);
+	struct dbg_stop stop = { DBG_STOP_STEP, NULL };
+	_dbg_repl(&stop);
 }
 
 static void dbg_set_step_breakpoint(int32_t address, int call_index)
@@ -405,7 +413,8 @@ static void _dbg_handle_breakpoint(void *data)
 		bp->cb(bp);
 	} else {
 		log_message("debug", "%s\n", bp->message);
-		_dbg_repl(NULL);
+		struct dbg_stop stop = { DBG_STOP_BREAKPOINT, NULL };
+		_dbg_repl(&stop);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/debugger_dap.c b/src/debugger_dap.c
index ac47df3..4237295 100644
--- a/src/debugger_dap.c
+++ b/src/debugger_dap.c
@@ -105,11 +105,28 @@ static void emit_terminated_event(void)
 	emit_event("terminated", NULL);
 }
 
-static void emit_stopped_event(void)
+static void emit_stopped_event(struct dbg_stop *stop)
 {
 	cJSON *body = cJSON_CreateObject();
-	// TODO: specify correct reason
-	cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "reason", "pause");
+	switch (stop->type) {
+	case DBG_STOP_PAUSE:
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "reason", "pause");
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "description", "Paused by user");
+		break;
+	case DBG_STOP_ERROR:
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "reason", "exception");
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "description", "Paused on error");
+		break;
+	case DBG_STOP_BREAKPOINT:
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "reason", "breakpoint");
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "description", "Paused on breakpoint");
+		break;
+	case DBG_STOP_STEP:
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "reason", "step");
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "description", "Paused by step action");
+	}
+	if (stop->message)
+		cJSON_AddStringToObject(body, "text", stop->message);
 	emit_event("stopped", body);
 }
 
@@ -551,7 +568,7 @@ static void cmd_pause(cJSON *args, cJSON *resp)
 	send_json(resp);
 
 	if (dap_state != DAP_STOPPED) {
-		dbg_repl();
+		dbg_repl(DBG_STOP_PAUSE, NULL);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -862,9 +879,9 @@ void dbg_dap_quit(void)
 	emit_terminated_event();
 }
 
-void dbg_dap_repl(void)
+void dbg_dap_repl(struct dbg_stop *stop)
 {
-	emit_stopped_event();
+	emit_stopped_event(stop);
 	dap_state = DAP_STOPPED;
 
 	bool continue_repl = true;
diff --git a/src/input.c b/src/input.c
index c3c6187..0d4672f 100644
--- a/src/input.c
+++ b/src/input.c
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static void mouse_event(SDL_MouseButtonEvent *e)
 #ifdef DEBUGGER_ENABLED
 	if (e->button == SDL_BUTTON_MIDDLE && e->state == SDL_PRESSED
 			&& (dbg_start_in_debugger || dbg_dap))
-		dbg_repl();
+		dbg_repl(DBG_STOP_PAUSE, NULL);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/vm.c b/src/vm.c
index 0712e3a..616afac 100644
--- a/src/vm.c
+++ b/src/vm.c
@@ -2393,7 +2393,13 @@ _Noreturn void _vm_error(const char *fmt, ...)
 	va_end(ap);
 	sys_warning("at %s (0x%X) in:\n", current_instruction_name(), instr_ptr);
 	vm_stack_trace();
-	dbg_repl();
+
+	char msg[1024];
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	vsnprintf(msg, 1024, fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+
+	dbg_repl(DBG_STOP_ERROR, msg);
 	sys_exit(1);
 }