diff --git a/lib/ads/ad_manager.js b/lib/ads/ad_manager.js
index 920ac303df..b0742b1ef9 100644
--- a/lib/ads/ad_manager.js
+++ b/lib/ads/ad_manager.js
@@ -314,6 +314,17 @@ goog.require('shaka.util.IReleasable');
  */
 
 
+/**
+ * @event shaka.ads.AdManager.AD_ERROR
+ * @description Fired when a fatal error is encountered.
+ * @property {string} type
+ *   'ad-error'
+ * @property {Object} originalEvent
+ *    The native SDK event, if available.
+ * @exportDoc
+ */
+
+
 /**
  * @event shaka.ads.AdManager.AdInteractionEvent
  * @description Fired when an ad triggers the interaction callback.
@@ -902,6 +913,13 @@ shaka.ads.AdManager.AD_METADATA = 'ad-metadata';
  */
 shaka.ads.AdManager.AD_RECOVERABLE_ERROR = 'ad-recoverable-error';
 
+/**
+ * The event name for when the ad manager dispatch errors.
+ *
+ * @const {string}
+ * @export
+ */
+shaka.ads.AdManager.AD_ERROR = 'ad-error';
 
 /**
  * The event name for when the client side SDK signalled its readiness
diff --git a/lib/ads/client_side_ad_manager.js b/lib/ads/client_side_ad_manager.js
index 2a35e2c5b8..718acc0e63 100644
--- a/lib/ads/client_side_ad_manager.js
+++ b/lib/ads/client_side_ad_manager.js
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ shaka.ads.ClientSideAdManager = class {
     shaka.log.warning(
         'There was an ad error from the IMA SDK: ' + e.getError());
     shaka.log.warning('Resuming playback.');
+
+    const data = (new Map()).set('originalEvent', e);
+    this.onEvent_(new shaka.util.FakeEvent(shaka.ads.AdManager.AD_ERROR, data));
+
     this.onAdComplete_(/* adEvent= */ null);
     // Remove ad breaks from the timeline
     this.onEvent_(