diff --git a/pkg/watch/json/decoder.go b/pkg/watch/json/decoder.go
index bb087b88003..416ef110953 100644
--- a/pkg/watch/json/decoder.go
+++ b/pkg/watch/json/decoder.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) Decode() (watch.EventType, runtime.Object, error) {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
 	switch got.Type {
-	case watch.Added, watch.Modified, watch.Deleted:
+	case watch.Added, watch.Modified, watch.Deleted, watch.Error:
 	default:
 		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("got invalid watch event type: %v", got.Type)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/watch/json/decoder_test.go b/pkg/watch/json/decoder_test.go
index 2b35b1dcf2f..7571819d4db 100644
--- a/pkg/watch/json/decoder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/watch/json/decoder_test.go
@@ -24,61 +24,65 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api"
-	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/v1beta1"
+	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/api/testapi"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/pkg/watch"
 )
 
 func TestDecoder(t *testing.T) {
-	out, in := io.Pipe()
-	decoder := NewDecoder(out, v1beta1.Codec)
+	table := []watch.EventType{watch.Added, watch.Deleted, watch.Modified, watch.Error}
 
-	expect := &api.Pod{TypeMeta: api.TypeMeta{ID: "foo"}}
-	encoder := json.NewEncoder(in)
-	go func() {
-		data, err := v1beta1.Codec.Encode(expect)
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
-		}
-		if err := encoder.Encode(&watchEvent{watch.Added, runtime.RawExtension{json.RawMessage(data)}}); err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected error %v", err)
-		}
-		in.Close()
-	}()
+	for _, eventType := range table {
+		out, in := io.Pipe()
+		decoder := NewDecoder(out, testapi.Codec())
 
-	done := make(chan struct{})
-	go func() {
-		action, got, err := decoder.Decode()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
-		}
-		if e, a := watch.Added, action; e != a {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", e, a)
-		}
-		if e, a := expect, got; !reflect.DeepEqual(e, a) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", e, a)
-		}
-		t.Logf("Exited read")
-		close(done)
-	}()
-	<-done
+		expect := &api.Pod{TypeMeta: api.TypeMeta{ID: "foo"}}
+		encoder := json.NewEncoder(in)
+		go func() {
+			data, err := testapi.Codec().Encode(expect)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
+			}
+			if err := encoder.Encode(&watchEvent{eventType, runtime.RawExtension{json.RawMessage(data)}}); err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("Unexpected error %v", err)
+			}
+			in.Close()
+		}()
 
-	done = make(chan struct{})
-	go func() {
-		_, _, err := decoder.Decode()
-		if err == nil {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected nil error")
-		}
-		close(done)
-	}()
-	<-done
+		done := make(chan struct{})
+		go func() {
+			action, got, err := decoder.Decode()
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
+			}
+			if e, a := eventType, action; e != a {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+			}
+			if e, a := expect, got; !reflect.DeepEqual(e, a) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", e, a)
+			}
+			t.Logf("Exited read")
+			close(done)
+		}()
+		<-done
 
-	decoder.Close()
+		done = make(chan struct{})
+		go func() {
+			_, _, err := decoder.Decode()
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Errorf("Unexpected nil error")
+			}
+			close(done)
+		}()
+		<-done
+
+		decoder.Close()
+	}
 }
 
 func TestDecoder_SourceClose(t *testing.T) {
 	out, in := io.Pipe()
-	decoder := NewDecoder(out, v1beta1.Codec)
+	decoder := NewDecoder(out, testapi.Codec())
 
 	done := make(chan struct{})