diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 06a79db..704a4e7 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@
  * Logger
  *****************************************************************************/
 
+/** size of the last message buffer */
+#define LY_LAST_MSG_SIZE 512
+
 extern ATOMIC_T ly_ll;
 extern ATOMIC_T ly_log_opts;
 
diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
index 5ffc42e..a6b1fe4 100644
--- a/src/log.c
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -41,12 +41,19 @@
 THREAD_LOCAL uint32_t *temp_ly_log_opts;
 static ly_log_clb log_clb;
 static ATOMIC_T path_flag = 1;
+THREAD_LOCAL char last_msg[LY_LAST_MSG_SIZE];
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 ATOMIC_T ly_ldbg_groups = 0;
 #endif
 
 THREAD_LOCAL struct ly_log_location_s log_location = {0};
 
+LIBYANG_API_DEF const char *
+ly_last_errmsg(void)
+{
+    return last_msg;
+}
+
 LIBYANG_API_DEF LY_ERR
 ly_errcode(const struct ly_ctx *ctx)
 {
@@ -458,14 +465,19 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    /* store the error/warning (if we need to store errors internally, it does not matter what are the user log options) */
+    /* print into a single message */
+    if (vasprintf(&msg, format, args) == -1) {
+        LOGMEM(ctx);
+        free(path);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* store as the last message */
+    strncpy(last_msg, msg, LY_LAST_MSG_SIZE - 1);
+
+    /* store the error/warning in the context (if we need to store errors internally, it does not matter what are
+     * the user log options) */
     if ((level < LY_LLVRB) && ctx && lostore) {
-        assert(format);
-        if (vasprintf(&msg, format, args) == -1) {
-            LOGMEM(ctx);
-            free(path);
-            return;
-        }
         if (((no & ~LY_EPLUGIN) == LY_EVALID) && (vecode == LYVE_SUCCESS)) {
             /* assume we are inheriting the error, so inherit vecode as well */
             vecode = ly_vecode(ctx);
@@ -475,11 +487,6 @@
         }
         free_strs = 0;
     } else {
-        if (vasprintf(&msg, format, args) == -1) {
-            LOGMEM(ctx);
-            free(path);
-            return;
-        }
         free_strs = 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/log.h b/src/log.h
index 2144668..0d4a5d8 100644
--- a/src/log.h
+++ b/src/log.h
@@ -305,6 +305,16 @@
 };
 
 /**
+ * @brief Get the last (thread-specific) error message.
+ *
+ * ::ly_errmsg() should be used instead of this function but this one is useful for getting
+ * errors from functions that do not have any context accessible. Or as a simple unified logging API.
+ *
+ * @return Last generated error message.
+ */
+LIBYANG_API_DECL const char *ly_last_errmsg(void);
+
+/**
  * @brief Get the last (thread, context-specific) validation error code.
  *
  * This value is set only if ly_errno is #LY_EVALID.