diff --git a/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js b/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
index 43492dd29..208e14be8 100644
--- a/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
+++ b/src/lib/viewers/BaseViewer.js
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ class BaseViewer extends EventEmitter {
      */
     handleAssetError(err) {
         const originalMessage = err ? err.message : '';
-        const error = new PreviewError(ERROR_CODE.LOAD_ASSET, '', {}, originalMessage);
+        const error = err instanceof PreviewError ? err : new PreviewError(ERROR_CODE.LOAD_ASSET, originalMessage, {});
         this.triggerError(error);
         this.destroyed = true;
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js b/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
index dc9d2a232..05a128b26 100644
--- a/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
+++ b/src/lib/viewers/__tests__/BaseViewer-test.js
@@ -205,6 +205,13 @@ describe('lib/viewers/BaseViewer', () => {
             expect(base.destroyed).to.be.true;
         });
 
+        it('should use the original error if it is a PreviewError', () => {
+            sandbox.stub(base, 'triggerError');
+            const originalError = new PreviewError('foo', 'bar');
+            base.handleAssetError(originalError);
+            expect(base.triggerError).to.be.calledWith(originalError);
+        });
+
         it('should pass along the error if provided', () => {
             const stub = sandbox.stub(base, 'triggerError');