diff --git a/lib/models/builder.js b/lib/models/builder.js
index d0332a8117..641ec70402 100644
--- a/lib/models/builder.js
+++ b/lib/models/builder.js
@@ -117,7 +117,11 @@ module.exports = Task.extend({
          return self.builder.build.apply(self.builder, args);
        })
       .then(this.processBuildResult.bind(this))
-      .then(this.processAddonBuildSteps.bind(this, 'postBuild'));
+      .then(this.processAddonBuildSteps.bind(this, 'postBuild'))
+      .catch(function(error) {
+        this.processAddonBuildSteps('buildError', error);
+        throw error;
+      }.bind(this));
   },
 
   cleanup: function() {
diff --git a/tests/unit/models/builder-test.js b/tests/unit/models/builder-test.js
index ce24690613..307e95fed4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/models/builder-test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/models/builder-test.js
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ describe('models/builder.js', function() {
 
           return Promise.resolve();
         },
+
+        buildError: function() {
+          hooksCalled.push('buildError');
+        },
       };
 
       builder = new Builder({
@@ -182,5 +186,68 @@ describe('models/builder.js', function() {
         assert.deepEqual(hooksCalled, ['preBuild', 'build', 'postBuild']);
       });
     });
+
+    it('buildError receives the error object from the errored step', function() {
+      var thrownBuildError = new Error('buildError');
+      var receivedBuildError;
+
+      addon.buildError = function(errorThrown) {
+        receivedBuildError = errorThrown;
+      };
+
+      builder.builder.build = function() {
+        hooksCalled.push('build');
+
+        return Promise.reject(thrownBuildError);
+      };
+
+      return builder.build().then(function() {
+        assert(false, 'should not succeed');
+      }).catch(function() {
+        assert.equal(receivedBuildError, thrownBuildError);
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('calls buildError and does not call build or postBuild when preBuild fails', function() {
+      addon.preBuild = function() {
+        hooksCalled.push('preBuild');
+
+        return Promise.reject(new Error('preBuild Error'));
+      };
+
+      return builder.build().then(function() {
+        assert(false, 'should not succeed');
+      }).catch(function() {
+        assert.deepEqual(hooksCalled, ['preBuild', 'buildError']);
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('calls buildError and does not call postBuild when build fails', function() {
+      builder.builder.build = function() {
+        hooksCalled.push('build');
+
+        return Promise.reject(new Error('build Error'));
+      };
+
+      return builder.build().then(function() {
+        assert(false, 'should not succeed');
+      }).catch(function() {
+        assert.deepEqual(hooksCalled, ['preBuild', 'build', 'buildError']);
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('calls buildError when postBuild fails', function() {
+      addon.postBuild = function() {
+        hooksCalled.push('postBuild');
+
+        return Promise.reject(new Error('preBuild Error'));
+      };
+
+      return builder.build().then(function() {
+        assert(false, 'should not succeed');
+      }).catch(function() {
+        assert.deepEqual(hooksCalled, ['preBuild', 'build', 'postBuild', 'buildError']);
+      });
+    });
   });
 });