int *hw_breakpoint_error,
                    int *hw_bp_error_explained_already)
 {
-  int val = 0;
-  const char *hw_bp_err_string = NULL;
+  enum errors bp_err = GDB_NO_ERROR;
+  const char *bp_err_message = NULL;
   struct gdb_exception e;
 
   if (!should_be_inserted (bl) || (bl->inserted && !bl->needs_update))
          /* No overlay handling: just set the breakpoint.  */
          TRY_CATCH (e, RETURN_MASK_ALL)
            {
+             int val;
+
              val = bl->owner->ops->insert_location (bl);
+             if (val)
+               bp_err = GENERIC_ERROR;
            }
          if (e.reason < 0)
            {
-             val = 1;
-             hw_bp_err_string = e.message;
+             bp_err = e.error;
+             bp_err_message = e.message;
            }
        }
       else
                  /* Set a software (trap) breakpoint at the LMA.  */
                  bl->overlay_target_info = bl->target_info;
                  bl->overlay_target_info.placed_address = addr;
-                 val = target_insert_breakpoint (bl->gdbarch,
-                                                 &bl->overlay_target_info);
-                 if (val != 0)
+
+                 /* No overlay handling: just set the breakpoint.  */
+                 TRY_CATCH (e, RETURN_MASK_ALL)
+                   {
+                     int val;
+
+                     val = target_insert_breakpoint (bl->gdbarch,
+                                                     &bl->overlay_target_info);
+                     if (val)
+                       bp_err = GENERIC_ERROR;
+                   }
+                 if (e.reason < 0)
+                   {
+                     bp_err = e.error;
+                     bp_err_message = e.message;
+                   }
+
+                 if (bp_err != GDB_NO_ERROR)
                    fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream,
                                        "Overlay breakpoint %d "
                                        "failed: in ROM?\n",
              /* Yes.  This overlay section is mapped into memory.  */
              TRY_CATCH (e, RETURN_MASK_ALL)
                {
+                 int val;
+
                  val = bl->owner->ops->insert_location (bl);
+                 if (val)
+                   bp_err = GENERIC_ERROR;
                }
              if (e.reason < 0)
                {
-                 val = 1;
-                 hw_bp_err_string = e.message;
+                 bp_err = e.error;
+                 bp_err_message = e.message;
                }
            }
          else
            }
        }
 
-      if (val)
+      if (bp_err != GDB_NO_ERROR)
        {
          /* Can't set the breakpoint.  */
-         if (solib_name_from_address (bl->pspace, bl->address))
+
+         /* In some cases, we might not be able to insert a
+            breakpoint in a shared library that has already been
+            removed, but we have not yet processed the shlib unload
+            event.  Unfortunately, some targets that implement
+            breakpoint insertion themselves (necessary if this is a
+            HW breakpoint, but SW breakpoints likewise) can't tell
+            why the breakpoint insertion failed (e.g., the remote
+            target doesn't define error codes), so we must treat
+            generic errors as memory errors.  */
+         if ((bp_err == GENERIC_ERROR || bp_err == MEMORY_ERROR)
+             && solib_name_from_address (bl->pspace, bl->address))
            {
              /* See also: disable_breakpoints_in_shlibs.  */
-             val = 0;
              bl->shlib_disabled = 1;
              observer_notify_breakpoint_modified (bl->owner);
              if (!*disabled_breaks)
              *disabled_breaks = 1;
              fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream,
                                  "breakpoint #%d\n", bl->owner->number);
+             return 0;
            }
          else
            {
              if (bl->loc_type == bp_loc_hardware_breakpoint)
                {
-                  *hw_breakpoint_error = 1;
-                  *hw_bp_error_explained_already = hw_bp_err_string != NULL;
+                 *hw_breakpoint_error = 1;
+                 *hw_bp_error_explained_already = bp_err_message != NULL;
                   fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream,
                                       "Cannot insert hardware breakpoint %d%s",
-                                      bl->owner->number, hw_bp_err_string ? ":" : ".\n");
-                  if (hw_bp_err_string)
-                    fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream, "%s.\n", hw_bp_err_string);
+                                      bl->owner->number, bp_err_message ? ":" : ".\n");
+                  if (bp_err_message != NULL)
+                    fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream, "%s.\n", bp_err_message);
                }
              else
                {
-                 char *message = memory_error_message (TARGET_XFER_E_IO,
-                                                       bl->gdbarch, bl->address);
-                 struct cleanup *old_chain = make_cleanup (xfree, message);
-
-                 fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream, 
-                                     "Cannot insert breakpoint %d.\n"
-                                     "%s\n",
-                                     bl->owner->number, message);
-
-                 do_cleanups (old_chain);
+                 if (bp_err_message == NULL)
+                   {
+                     char *message
+                       = memory_error_message (TARGET_XFER_E_IO,
+                                               bl->gdbarch, bl->address);
+                     struct cleanup *old_chain = make_cleanup (xfree, message);
+
+                     fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream,
+                                         "Cannot insert breakpoint %d.\n"
+                                         "%s\n",
+                                         bl->owner->number, message);
+                     do_cleanups (old_chain);
+                   }
+                 else
+                   {
+                     fprintf_unfiltered (tmp_error_stream,
+                                         "Cannot insert breakpoint %d: %s\n",
+                                         bl->owner->number,
+                                         bp_err_message);
+                   }
                }
+             return 1;
 
            }
        }
       else
        bl->inserted = 1;
 
-      return val;
+      return 0;
     }
 
   else if (bl->loc_type == bp_loc_hardware_watchpoint
              watchpoints.  It's not clear that it's necessary...  */
           && bl->owner->disposition != disp_del_at_next_stop)
     {
+      int val;
+
       gdb_assert (bl->owner->ops != NULL
                  && bl->owner->ops->insert_location != NULL);
 
 
   else if (bl->owner->type == bp_catchpoint)
     {
+      int val;
+
       gdb_assert (bl->owner->ops != NULL
                  && bl->owner->ops->insert_location != NULL);
 
 
 #define        target_files_info()     \
      (*current_target.to_files_info) (¤t_target)
 
-/* Insert a breakpoint at address BP_TGT->placed_address in the target
-   machine.  Result is 0 for success, non-zero for error.  */
+/* Insert a hardware breakpoint at address BP_TGT->placed_address in
+   the target machine.  Returns 0 for success, and returns non-zero or
+   throws an error (with a detailed failure reason error code and
+   message) otherwise.  */
 
 extern int target_insert_breakpoint (struct gdbarch *gdbarch,
                                     struct bp_target_info *bp_tgt);
 
 extern int target_remove_mask_watchpoint (CORE_ADDR, CORE_ADDR, int);
 
+/* Insert a hardware breakpoint at address BP_TGT->placed_address in
+   the target machine.  Returns 0 for success, and returns non-zero or
+   throws an error (with a detailed failure reason error code and
+   message) otherwise.  */
+
 #define target_insert_hw_breakpoint(gdbarch, bp_tgt) \
      (*current_target.to_insert_hw_breakpoint) (gdbarch, bp_tgt)