diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 0ebbaedf..10bf82fb 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ func GetEndpoints(ctx context.Context, endpoint string, opts ...Option) ([]*ua.E
 // security policy and security mode. policy and mode can be omitted so that
 // only one of them has to match.
 // todo(fs): should this function return an error?
-func SelectEndpoint(endpoints []*ua.EndpointDescription, policy string, mode ua.MessageSecurityMode) *ua.EndpointDescription {
+func SelectEndpoint(endpoints []*ua.EndpointDescription, policy string, mode ua.MessageSecurityMode) (*ua.EndpointDescription, error) {
 	if len(endpoints) == 0 {
-		return nil
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("no endpoints available")
 	}
 
 	sort.Sort(sort.Reverse(bySecurityLevel(endpoints)))
@@ -95,26 +95,26 @@ func SelectEndpoint(endpoints []*ua.EndpointDescription, policy string, mode ua.
 
 	// don't care -> return highest security level
 	if policy == "" && mode == ua.MessageSecurityModeInvalid {
-		return endpoints[0]
+		return endpoints[0], nil
 	}
 
 	for _, p := range endpoints {
 		// match only security mode
 		if policy == "" && p.SecurityMode == mode {
-			return p
+			return p, nil
 		}
 
 		// match only security policy
 		if p.SecurityPolicyURI == policy && mode == ua.MessageSecurityModeInvalid {
-			return p
+			return p, nil
 		}
 
 		// match both
 		if p.SecurityPolicyURI == policy && p.SecurityMode == mode {
-			return p
+			return p, nil
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+	return nil, errors.Errorf("no matching endpoint found for policy %s and mode %s", policy, mode)
 }
 
 type bySecurityLevel []*ua.EndpointDescription
diff --git a/examples/datetime/datetime.go b/examples/datetime/datetime.go
index dca80633..02bcb7aa 100644
--- a/examples/datetime/datetime.go
+++ b/examples/datetime/datetime.go
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ func main() {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	ep := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
-	if ep == nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to find suitable endpoint")
+	ep, err := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	fmt.Println("*", ep.SecurityPolicyURI, ep.SecurityMode)
diff --git a/examples/monitor/monitor.go b/examples/monitor/monitor.go
index ef0f39ca..f9c06df4 100644
--- a/examples/monitor/monitor.go
+++ b/examples/monitor/monitor.go
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	ep := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
-	if ep == nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to find suitable endpoint")
+	ep, err := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	log.Print("*", ep.SecurityPolicyURI, ep.SecurityMode)
diff --git a/examples/subscribe/subscribe.go b/examples/subscribe/subscribe.go
index 8127cd9a..596f4b89 100644
--- a/examples/subscribe/subscribe.go
+++ b/examples/subscribe/subscribe.go
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ func main() {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	ep := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
-	if ep == nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to find suitable endpoint")
+	ep, err := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	ep.EndpointURL = *endpoint
 
diff --git a/examples/trigger/trigger.go b/examples/trigger/trigger.go
index beafb3b3..566bb5cf 100644
--- a/examples/trigger/trigger.go
+++ b/examples/trigger/trigger.go
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ func main() {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	ep := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
-	if ep == nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to find suitable endpoint")
+	ep, err := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	fmt.Println("*", ep.SecurityPolicyURI, ep.SecurityMode)
diff --git a/examples/udt/udt.go b/examples/udt/udt.go
index 6fa3ad5a..e5ed1987 100644
--- a/examples/udt/udt.go
+++ b/examples/udt/udt.go
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ func main() {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	ep := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
-	if ep == nil {
-		log.Fatal("Failed to find suitable endpoint")
+	ep, err := opcua.SelectEndpoint(endpoints, *policy, ua.MessageSecurityModeFromString(*mode))
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	fmt.Println("*", ep.SecurityPolicyURI, ep.SecurityMode)