diff --git a/server/kolide/osquery.go b/server/kolide/osquery.go
index 14c0382811..cc0e2d5630 100644
--- a/server/kolide/osquery.go
+++ b/server/kolide/osquery.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ type OsqueryService interface {
 	// for) should be returned. Returning 0 for this will not activate the
 	// feature.
 	GetDistributedQueries(ctx context.Context) (queries map[string]string, accelerate uint, err error)
-	SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]OsqueryStatus) (err error)
+	SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]OsqueryStatus, messages map[string]string) (err error)
 	SubmitStatusLogs(ctx context.Context, logs []json.RawMessage) (err error)
 	SubmitResultLogs(ctx context.Context, logs []json.RawMessage) (err error)
 	//CarveBegin(ctx context.Context)
diff --git a/server/launcher/launcher.go b/server/launcher/launcher.go
index 7dd46b7aeb..d71f6abecf 100644
--- a/server/launcher/launcher.go
+++ b/server/launcher/launcher.go
@@ -120,7 +120,9 @@ func (svc *launcherWrapper) PublishResults(ctx context.Context, nodeKey string,
 		osqueryResults[result.QueryName] = result.Rows
 	}
 
-	err = svc.tls.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(newCtx, osqueryResults, statuses)
+	// TODO can Launcher expose the error messages?
+	messages := make(map[string]string)
+	err = svc.tls.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(newCtx, osqueryResults, statuses, messages)
 	return "", "", false, errors.Wrap(err, "submit launcher results")
 }
 
diff --git a/server/launcher/launcher_test.go b/server/launcher/launcher_test.go
index 07a4ec40b8..8cdbb3eae7 100644
--- a/server/launcher/launcher_test.go
+++ b/server/launcher/launcher_test.go
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/health"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/kolide"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/mock"
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/kolide/osquery-go/plugin/distributed"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ func TestLauncherPublishResults(t *testing.T) {
 	tls.SubmitDistributedQueryResultsFunc = func(
 		ctx context.Context,
 		results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults,
-		statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus) (err error) {
+		statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus,
+		messages map[string]string,
+	) (err error) {
 		assert.Equal(t, results["query"][0], result)
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -146,6 +148,7 @@ func newTLSService(t *testing.T) *mock.TLSService {
 			ctx context.Context,
 			results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults,
 			statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus,
+			messages map[string]string,
 		) (err error) {
 			return
 		},
diff --git a/server/mock/service_osquery.go b/server/mock/service_osquery.go
index 54e2f63f9c..8a20772f58 100644
--- a/server/mock/service_osquery.go
+++ b/server/mock/service_osquery.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ type GetClientConfigFunc func(ctx context.Context) (config map[string]interface{
 
 type GetDistributedQueriesFunc func(ctx context.Context) (queries map[string]string, accelerate uint, err error)
 
-type SubmitDistributedQueryResultsFunc func(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus) (err error)
+type SubmitDistributedQueryResultsFunc func(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus, messages map[string]string) (err error)
 
 type SubmitStatusLogsFunc func(ctx context.Context, logs []json.RawMessage) (err error)
 
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ func (s *TLSService) GetDistributedQueries(ctx context.Context) (queries map[str
 	return s.GetDistributedQueriesFunc(ctx)
 }
 
-func (s *TLSService) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus) (err error) {
+func (s *TLSService) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus, messages map[string]string) (err error) {
 	s.SubmitDistributedQueryResultsFuncInvoked = true
-	return s.SubmitDistributedQueryResultsFunc(ctx, results, statuses)
+	return s.SubmitDistributedQueryResultsFunc(ctx, results, statuses, messages)
 }
 
 func (s *TLSService) SubmitStatusLogs(ctx context.Context, logs []json.RawMessage) (err error) {
diff --git a/server/service/endpoint_osquery.go b/server/service/endpoint_osquery.go
index 4640d81fa4..f7bceca11e 100644
--- a/server/service/endpoint_osquery.go
+++ b/server/service/endpoint_osquery.go
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 
-	"github.com/go-kit/kit/endpoint"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/kolide"
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/endpoint"
 )
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ type submitDistributedQueryResultsRequest struct {
 	NodeKey  string                                `json:"node_key"`
 	Results  kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults `json:"queries"`
 	Statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus       `json:"statuses"`
+	Messages map[string]string                     `json:"messages"`
 }
 
 type submitDistributedQueryResultsResponse struct {
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ func (r submitDistributedQueryResultsResponse) error() error { return r.Err }
 func makeSubmitDistributedQueryResultsEndpoint(svc kolide.Service) endpoint.Endpoint {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, request interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 		req := request.(submitDistributedQueryResultsRequest)
-		err := svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, req.Results, req.Statuses)
+		err := svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, req.Results, req.Statuses, req.Messages)
 		if err != nil {
 			return submitDistributedQueryResultsResponse{Err: err}, nil
 		}
diff --git a/server/service/logging_osquery.go b/server/service/logging_osquery.go
index 19dc0587f7..6a99668ec0 100644
--- a/server/service/logging_osquery.go
+++ b/server/service/logging_osquery.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func (mw loggingMiddleware) GetDistributedQueries(ctx context.Context) (map[stri
 	return queries, accelerate, err
 }
 
-func (mw loggingMiddleware) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus) error {
+func (mw loggingMiddleware) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus, messages map[string]string) error {
 	var (
 		err error
 	)
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (mw loggingMiddleware) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, r
 		)
 	}(time.Now())
 
-	err = mw.Service.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, results, statuses)
+	err = mw.Service.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, results, statuses, messages)
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/server/service/service_osquery.go b/server/service/service_osquery.go
index 54a1362a1a..141a35ec84 100644
--- a/server/service/service_osquery.go
+++ b/server/service/service_osquery.go
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	hostctx "github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/contexts/host"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/kolide"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/pubsub"
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cast"
 )
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ func (svc service) ingestLabelQuery(host kolide.Host, query string, rows []map[s
 
 // ingestDistributedQuery takes the results of a distributed query and modifies the
 // provided kolide.Host appropriately.
-func (svc service) ingestDistributedQuery(host kolide.Host, name string, rows []map[string]string, failed bool) error {
+func (svc service) ingestDistributedQuery(host kolide.Host, name string, rows []map[string]string, failed bool, errMsg string) error {
 	trimmedQuery := strings.TrimPrefix(name, hostDistributedQueryPrefix)
 
 	campaignID, err := strconv.Atoi(emptyToZero(trimmedQuery))
@@ -582,10 +582,7 @@ func (svc service) ingestDistributedQuery(host kolide.Host, name string, rows []
 		Rows:                       rows,
 	}
 	if failed {
-		// osquery errors are not currently helpful, but we should fix
-		// them to be better in the future
-		errString := "failed"
-		res.Error = &errString
+		res.Error = &errMsg
 	}
 
 	err = svc.resultStore.WriteResult(res)
@@ -632,7 +629,7 @@ func (svc service) ingestDistributedQuery(host kolide.Host, name string, rows []
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (svc service) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus) error {
+func (svc service) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results kolide.OsqueryDistributedQueryResults, statuses map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus, messages map[string]string) error {
 	host, ok := hostctx.FromContext(ctx)
 
 	if !ok {
@@ -659,7 +656,7 @@ func (svc service) SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx context.Context, results ko
 			// status indicates a query error
 			status, ok := statuses[query]
 			failed := (ok && status != kolide.StatusOK)
-			err = svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, query, rows, failed)
+			err = svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, query, rows, failed, messages[query])
 		default:
 			err = osqueryError{message: "unknown query prefix: " + query}
 		}
diff --git a/server/service/service_osquery_test.go b/server/service/service_osquery_test.go
index a0f9426a04..18cb6e9fcc 100644
--- a/server/service/service_osquery_test.go
+++ b/server/service/service_osquery_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/WatchBeam/clock"
-	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/config"
 	hostctx "github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/contexts/host"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/contexts/viewer"
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/logging"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/mock"
 	"github.com/fleetdm/fleet/server/pubsub"
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ func TestLabelQueries(t *testing.T) {
 			hostLabelQueryPrefix + "1": {{"col1": "val1"}},
 		},
 		map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{},
+		map[string]string{},
 	)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	host.LabelUpdateTime = mockClock.Now()
@@ -366,6 +367,7 @@ func TestLabelQueries(t *testing.T) {
 			hostLabelQueryPrefix + "3": {},
 		},
 		map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{},
+		map[string]string{},
 	)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	host.LabelUpdateTime = mockClock.Now()
@@ -643,7 +645,7 @@ func TestDetailQueriesWithEmptyStrings(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Verify that results are ingested properly
-	svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, results, map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{})
+	svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, results, map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{}, map[string]string{})
 
 	// osquery_info
 	assert.Equal(t, "darwin", gotHost.Platform)
@@ -813,7 +815,7 @@ func TestDetailQueries(t *testing.T) {
 		return nil
 	}
 	// Verify that results are ingested properly
-	svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, results, map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{})
+	svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(ctx, results, map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{}, map[string]string{})
 
 	// osquery_info
 	assert.Equal(t, "darwin", gotHost.Platform)
@@ -1069,7 +1071,7 @@ func TestDistributedQueryResults(t *testing.T) {
 	// this test.
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 
-	err = svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(hostCtx, results, map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{})
+	err = svc.SubmitDistributedQueryResults(hostCtx, results, map[string]kolide.OsqueryStatus{}, map[string]string{})
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 }
 
@@ -1087,7 +1089,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryParseIdError(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	host := kolide.Host{ID: 1}
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "bad_name", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "bad_name", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unable to parse campaign")
 }
@@ -1111,7 +1113,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryOrphanedCampaignLoadError(t *testing.T) {
 
 	host := kolide.Host{ID: 1}
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "loading orphaned campaign")
 }
@@ -1144,7 +1146,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryOrphanedCampaignWaitListener(t *testing.T) {
 
 	host := kolide.Host{ID: 1}
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "campaign waiting for listener")
 }
@@ -1180,7 +1182,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryOrphanedCloseError(t *testing.T) {
 
 	host := kolide.Host{ID: 1}
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "closing orphaned campaign")
 }
@@ -1217,7 +1219,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryOrphanedStopError(t *testing.T) {
 
 	host := kolide.Host{ID: 1}
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "stopping orphaned campaign")
 }
@@ -1254,7 +1256,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryOrphanedStop(t *testing.T) {
 
 	host := kolide.Host{ID: 1}
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	lq.AssertExpectations(t)
 }
@@ -1284,7 +1286,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQueryRecordCompletionError(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "record query completion")
 	lq.AssertExpectations(t)
@@ -1315,7 +1317,7 @@ func TestIngestDistributedQuery(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 
-	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false)
+	err := svc.ingestDistributedQuery(host, "kolide_distributed_query_42", []map[string]string{}, false, "")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	lq.AssertExpectations(t)
 }
diff --git a/server/service/transport_osquery.go b/server/service/transport_osquery.go
index c7c28c930e..6208f0daba 100644
--- a/server/service/transport_osquery.go
+++ b/server/service/transport_osquery.go
@@ -52,10 +52,12 @@ func decodeSubmitDistributedQueryResultsRequest(ctx context.Context, r *http.Req
 	//  },
 	// "node_key":"IGXCXknWQ1baTa8TZ6rF3kAPZ4\/aTsui"
 	// }
+
 	type distributedQueryResultsShim struct {
 		NodeKey  string                     `json:"node_key"`
 		Results  map[string]json.RawMessage `json:"queries"`
 		Statuses map[string]interface{}     `json:"statuses"`
+		Messages map[string]string          `json:"messages"`
 	}
 
 	var shim distributedQueryResultsShim
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ func decodeSubmitDistributedQueryResultsRequest(ctx context.Context, r *http.Req
 		NodeKey:  shim.NodeKey,
 		Results:  results,
 		Statuses: statuses,
+		Messages: shim.Messages,
 	}
 
 	return req, nil
diff --git a/tools/osquery/docker-compose.yml b/tools/osquery/docker-compose.yml
index 61c84fd445..a69282bfbd 100644
--- a/tools/osquery/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/tools/osquery/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,29 +14,43 @@ x-default-settings:
       soft:  1000000000
 
 services:
-  ubuntu14-osquery:
-    image: "kolide/osquery:${KOLIDE_OSQUERY_VERSION}"
-    volumes: *default-volumes
-    environment: *default-environment
-    command: *default-command
-    ulimits: *default-ulimits
-
   ubuntu16-osquery:
-    image: "kolide/ubuntu16-osquery:${KOLIDE_OSQUERY_VERSION}"
+    image: "dactiv/osquery:4.3.0-ubuntu16.04"
     volumes: *default-volumes
     environment: *default-environment
     command: *default-command
     ulimits: *default-ulimits
 
-  centos7-osquery:
-    image: "kolide/centos7-osquery:${KOLIDE_OSQUERY_VERSION}"
+  ubuntu18-osquery:
+    image: "dactiv/osquery:4.3.0-ubuntu18.04"
+    volumes: *default-volumes
+    environment: *default-environment
+    command: *default-command
+    ulimits: *default-ulimits
+
+  ubuntu20-osquery:
+    image: "dactiv/osquery:4.3.0-ubuntu20.04"
     volumes: *default-volumes
     environment: *default-environment
     command: *default-command
     ulimits: *default-ulimits
 
   centos6-osquery:
-    image: "kolide/centos6-osquery:${KOLIDE_OSQUERY_VERSION}"
+    image: "dactiv/osquery:4.3.0-centos6"
+    volumes: *default-volumes
+    environment: *default-environment
+    command: *default-command
+    ulimits: *default-ulimits
+
+  centos7-osquery:
+    image: "dactiv/osquery:4.3.0-centos7"
+    volumes: *default-volumes
+    environment: *default-environment
+    command: *default-command
+    ulimits: *default-ulimits
+
+  centos8-osquery:
+    image: "dactiv/osquery:4.3.0-centos8"
     volumes: *default-volumes
     environment: *default-environment
     command: *default-command