diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bd744e5..7e1c094 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,73 +1,3 @@
 # morecontext
 
-context.Context helpers to make your life slightly easier.
-
---
-    import "github.com/gopuff/morecontext"
-
-
-## Usage
-
-#### func  ForSignals
-
-```go
-func ForSignals(sigs ...os.Signal) context.Context
-```
-ForSignals returns a context.Context that will be cancelled if the given signals
-(or SIGTERM and SIGINT by default, if none are passed) are received by the
-process.
-
-#### func  WithMessage
-
-```go
-func WithMessage(ctx context.Context, format string, args ...interface{}) context.Context
-```
-WithMessage is a helper for creating a MessageContext instance, with more
-context about exactly which context cancellation occurred.
-
-#### type MessageContext
-
-```go
-type MessageContext struct {
-	context.Context
-	Message string
-}
-```
-
-MessageContext is a context.Context wrapper that is intended to include some
-extra metadata about which context was cancelled. Useful for distinguishing e.g.
-http request cancellation vs deadline vs process sigterm handling.
-
-#### func (MessageContext) Err
-
-```go
-func (c MessageContext) Err() error
-```
-Err returns an error with extra context messaging
-
-#### type MessageError
-
-```go
-type MessageError struct {
-	Message  string
-	Original error
-}
-```
-
-MessageError implements error but separates the message from the original error
-in case you want it.
-
-#### func (*MessageError) Error
-
-```go
-func (c *MessageError) Error() string
-```
-Error implements error and prints out the message plus the metadata about which
-context was cancelled.
-
-#### func (*MessageError) Unwrap
-
-```go
-func (c *MessageError) Unwrap() error
-```
-Unwrap supports errors.Is/errors.As
+context.Context helpers and implementations to make your life slightly easier.
diff --git a/reason.go b/reason.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b66d13b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reason.go
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package morecontext
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+)
+
+// A CancelReasonContext is a cancellable context whose cancellation requires a
+// reason, and whose Err() message will include the reason, if this context was
+// the one cancelled.
+type CancelReasonContext struct {
+	context.Context
+	Reason error
+}
+
+var _ context.Context = &CancelReasonContext{}
+
+// If this context was the one cancelled, we return the reason it was
+// cancelled. If the underlying context was cancelled, then we return its
+// message.
+func (crc CancelReasonContext) Err() error {
+	if crc.Reason != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("context cancelled: %w", crc.Reason)
+	}
+	return crc.Context.Err()
+}
+
+// WithCancelReason returns a context implementation that must be cancelled,
+// and whose cancellation must include a Reason error that will be returned by
+// any calls to `Err`.
+func WithCancelReason(ctx context.Context) (*CancelReasonContext, func(error)) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	crc := CancelReasonContext{
+		Context: ctx,
+	}
+
+	c := func(err error) {
+		crc.Reason = err
+		cancel()
+	}
+
+	return &crc, c
+}
diff --git a/reason_test.go b/reason_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..502d28b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/reason_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package morecontext
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestReasonContext(t *testing.T) {
+	asrt := assert.New(t)
+	ctx, cancel := WithCancelReason(context.Background())
+
+	cancel(fmt.Errorf("foo bar baz"))
+
+	err := ctx.Err()
+	asrt.Error(err)
+	asrt.Contains(err.Error(), "foo bar baz")
+}
+
+func TestReasonParentCancel(t *testing.T) {
+	asrt := assert.New(t)
+	ctx, c1 := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	ctx, cancel := WithCancelReason(ctx)
+	defer cancel(nil)
+
+	c1()
+
+	err := ctx.Err()
+	asrt.Error(err)
+	asrt.NotContains(err.Error(), "foo bar baz")
+}
diff --git a/signal.go b/signal.go
index cc4bda6..d470933 100644
--- a/signal.go
+++ b/signal.go
@@ -5,63 +5,33 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 )
 
-// sigCtx is a context that will be cancelled if certain signals are received.
-// Its Err will include details if this is the reason it was cancelled.
-type sigCtx struct {
-	context.Context
-
-	exitSignal os.Signal
-	m          sync.Mutex
-}
-
-// Err implements context.Context.Err but includes the os.Signal that caused
-// the context cancellation.
-func (sc *sigCtx) Err() error {
-	sc.m.Lock()
-	defer sc.m.Unlock()
-	err := sc.Context.Err()
-
-	return &MessageError{
-		Message:  fmt.Sprintf("context cancelled: got signal %s", sc.exitSignal.String()),
-		Original: err,
-	}
-}
-
 // ForSignals returns a context.Context that will be cancelled if the given
 // signals (or SIGTERM and SIGINT by default, if none are passed) are received
 // by the process.
 func ForSignals(sigs ...os.Signal) context.Context {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	ctx, cancel := WithCancelReason(context.Background())
 
-	// If no signals are returnd we will use a sensible default set.
+	// If no signals are included we will use a sensible default set.
 	if len(sigs) == 0 {
 		sigs = []os.Signal{syscall.SIGTERM, syscall.SIGINT}
 	}
 
-	sc := &sigCtx{Context: ctx}
-
 	ch := make(chan os.Signal, 2)
 	signal.Notify(ch, sigs...)
 
 	go func() {
-
 		i := 0
 		for sig := range ch {
 			i++
 			if i > 1 {
 				os.Exit(1)
 			}
-			sc.m.Lock()
-			sc.exitSignal = sig
-			sc.m.Unlock()
-
-			cancel()
+			cancel(fmt.Errorf("got signal %s", sig))
 		}
 	}()
 
-	return sc
+	return ctx
 }