diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index 8ebbe38..8b6cd5b 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::backtrace::BacktraceStatus;
 use std::fmt;
 use std::panic::Location;
+use std::sync::Arc;
 
 /// Provides context furthering the explanation of *how* you got to an error.
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ pub(crate) enum ContextElem {
     Location(Location<'static>),
     #[cfg(feature = "backtrace")]
     Backtrace(Backtrace),
+    Error(Arc<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync>),
 }
 
 // will be replaced with std::backtrace::Backtrace if and when it is Clone
@@ -86,6 +88,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for ContextElem {
                 })?;
                 write!(f, "{}", bt)
             },
+            Self::Error(e) => e.fmt(f),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/explain.rs b/src/explain.rs
index 5714d72..46ff974 100644
--- a/src/explain.rs
+++ b/src/explain.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use std::panic::Location;
+use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use crate::{How, IntoContext};
+use crate::context::*;
 
 pub trait Explain {
     type Output;
@@ -16,7 +18,6 @@ impl Explain for How {
     #[track_caller]
     #[inline]
     fn context(mut self, context: impl IntoContext) -> Self {
-        use crate::context::*;
         let mut context = context.into_context();
         let loc = ContextElem::Location(*Location::caller());
         #[cfg(feature = "backtrace")]
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ where
         {
             match typeid_cast::cast(e) {
                 Ok(e) => e,
+                // TODO: specialize on Send + Sync at runtime or compile time (possibly via
+                // specialization)
+                //Err(e) => How::new(Context(ContextInner::Elem(ContextElem::Error(Arc::new(e))))),
                 Err(e) => How::new(e.to_string()),
             }
             .context(c)
@@ -76,17 +80,28 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+impl<E> Explain for Arc<E>
+where
+    E: std::error::Error + Send + Sync + 'static,
+{
+    type Output = How;
+
+    #[track_caller]
+    fn context(self, context: impl IntoContext) -> Self::Output {
+        How::new(Context(ContextInner::Elem(ContextElem::Error(self)))) 
+            .context(context)
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T> Explain for Option<T> {
     type Output = Result<T, How>;
 
     #[inline(always)]
     #[track_caller]
     fn context(self, context: impl IntoContext) -> Self::Output {
-        // TODO: maybe add a feature for the extra "Option::None" context
         match self {
             Some(t) => Ok(t),
             None => Err(How::new(context)),
         }
-        //self.into_result_how().map_err(#[inline(never)] move |e| e.context(context))
     }
 }