diff --git a/src/curl_wrapper.cpp b/src/curl_wrapper.cpp
index d233117..768922d 100644
--- a/src/curl_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/curl_wrapper.cpp
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ const char *CURLException::what() const noexcept
     // NOTE: The string has to be static, or it'll vanish before it can be
     //       used. Couldn't find good documentation on that.
     static string error_string;
-    error_string = _error_message;
+    error_string = error_message;
     if (!error_string.empty())
     {
         error_string = " – " + error_string;
diff --git a/src/curl_wrapper.hpp b/src/curl_wrapper.hpp
index 01aa825..ad1939c 100644
--- a/src/curl_wrapper.hpp
+++ b/src/curl_wrapper.hpp
@@ -243,10 +243,11 @@ public:
      */
     explicit CURLException(const CURLcode code, string_view error_buffer)
         : error_code{code}
-        , _error_message{error_buffer}
+        , error_message{error_buffer}
     {}
 
-    const CURLcode error_code; //!< Error code from libcurl.
+    const CURLcode error_code;  //!< Error code from libcurl.
+    const string error_message; //!< The error message.
 
     /*!
      *  @brief  Error message.
@@ -254,9 +255,6 @@ public:
      *  @since  0.1.0
      */
     [[nodiscard]] const char *what() const noexcept override;
-
-private:
-    string _error_message;
 };
 
 } // namespace curl_wrapper