diff --git a/test/test_ocl.py b/test/test_ocl.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eeb15299bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_ocl.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import unittest
+from tinygrad import Device
+from tinygrad.runtime.ops_gpu import CLDevice, CLAllocator
+
+@unittest.skipUnless(Device.DEFAULT in ["GPU"], "Runs only on OpenCL (GPU)")
+class TestOCLOOM(unittest.TestCase):
+  def test_opencl_oom(self):
+    with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as err:
+      allocator = CLAllocator(CLDevice())
+      for i in range(1_000_000):
+        allocator.alloc(1_000_000_000)
+    assert str(err.exception) == "OpenCL Error -6: CL_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY"
diff --git a/tinygrad/runtime/ops_gpu.py b/tinygrad/runtime/ops_gpu.py
index bb27dad6d2..92747c8352 100644
--- a/tinygrad/runtime/ops_gpu.py
+++ b/tinygrad/runtime/ops_gpu.py
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ from tinygrad.device import BufferOptions, LRUAllocator, Compiled, Compiler, Com
 # see test/external/external_osx_profiling.py to determine this ratio. it's in like GPU clocks or something
 OSX_TIMING_RATIO = (125/3) if OSX else 1.0
 
+cl_errors = {getattr(cl, k): k for k in filter(lambda e: e.startswith("CL_"), dir(cl)) if getattr(cl, k) <= 0}
 def check(status):
-  if status != 0: raise RuntimeError(f"OpenCL Error {status}")
+  if status != 0: raise RuntimeError(f"OpenCL Error {status}: {cl_errors.get(status, 'Unknown error')}")
 def checked(ret, status): return (check(status.value), ret)[1]
 
 class CLCompiler(Compiler):