diff --git a/include/cppast/parser.hpp b/include/cppast/parser.hpp
index 63ac895..5d4abab 100644
--- a/include/cppast/parser.hpp
+++ b/include/cppast/parser.hpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace cppast
     class diagnostic_logger
     {
     public:
-        diagnostic_logger() noexcept : error_(false)
+        diagnostic_logger() noexcept : verbose_(false)
         {
         }
 
@@ -34,15 +34,6 @@ namespace cppast
         /// \notes `source` points to a string literal that gives additional context to what generates the message.
         bool log(const char* source, const diagnostic& d) const;
 
-        /// \returns Whether or not a diagnostic of [severity::error]() was logged.
-        /// \notes If an error happens, the parser will still continue to build the AST,
-        /// unless the error is critical
-        /// so the result will be incomplete if this function returns `true`.
-        bool error_logged() const noexcept
-        {
-            return error_;
-        }
-
         /// \effects Sets whether or not the logger prints debugging diagnostics.
         void set_verbose(bool value) noexcept
         {
@@ -58,8 +49,7 @@ namespace cppast
     private:
         virtual bool do_log(const char* source, const diagnostic& d) const = 0;
 
-        mutable std::atomic<bool> error_;
-        bool                      verbose_ = false;
+        bool verbose_;
     };
 
     /// A [cppast::diagnostic_logger]() that logs to `stderr`.
@@ -86,15 +76,30 @@ namespace cppast
         /// \returns The [cppast::cpp_file]() object describing it.
         /// It can be `nullptr`, if there was an error or the specified file already registered in the index.
         /// \requires The dynamic type of `config` must match the required config type.
+        /// \notes This function is thread safe.
         std::unique_ptr<cpp_file> parse(const cpp_entity_index& idx, std::string path,
                                         const compile_config& config) const
         {
             return do_parse(idx, std::move(path), config);
         }
 
+        /// \returns Whether or not an error occurred during parsing.
+        /// If that happens, the AST might be incomplete.
+        bool error() const noexcept
+        {
+            return error_;
+        }
+
+        /// \effects Resets the error state.
+        void reset_error() noexcept
+        {
+            error_ = false;
+        }
+
     protected:
         /// \effects Creates it giving it a reference to the logger it uses.
-        explicit parser(type_safe::object_ref<const diagnostic_logger> logger) : logger_(logger)
+        explicit parser(type_safe::object_ref<const diagnostic_logger> logger)
+        : logger_(logger), error_(false)
         {
         }
 
@@ -104,13 +109,22 @@ namespace cppast
             return *logger_;
         }
 
+        /// \effects Sets the error state.
+        /// This must be called when an error or critical diagnostic is logged and the AST is incomplete.
+        void set_error() const noexcept
+        {
+            error_ = true;
+        }
+
     private:
         /// \effects Parses the given file.
         /// \returns The [cppast::cpp_file]() object describing it.
+        /// \requires The function must be thread safe.
         virtual std::unique_ptr<cpp_file> do_parse(const cpp_entity_index& idx, std::string path,
                                                    const compile_config& config) const = 0;
 
         type_safe::object_ref<const diagnostic_logger> logger_;
+        mutable std::atomic<bool>                      error_;
     };
 } // namespace cppast
 
diff --git a/src/libclang/enum_parser.cpp b/src/libclang/enum_parser.cpp
index 5409c99..95eb886 100644
--- a/src/libclang/enum_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/libclang/enum_parser.cpp
@@ -94,10 +94,12 @@ std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> detail::parse_cpp_enum(const detail::parse_context&
         }
         catch (parse_error& ex)
         {
+            context.error = true;
             context.logger->log("libclang parser", ex.get_diagnostic());
         }
         catch (std::logic_error& ex)
         {
+            context.error = true;
             context.logger->log("libclang parser",
                                 diagnostic{ex.what(), make_location(child), severity::error});
         }
diff --git a/src/libclang/function_parser.cpp b/src/libclang/function_parser.cpp
index 074823a..b0a4bd4 100644
--- a/src/libclang/function_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/libclang/function_parser.cpp
@@ -46,10 +46,12 @@ namespace
                 }
                 catch (detail::parse_error& ex)
                 {
+                    context.error = true;
                     context.logger->log("libclang parser", ex.get_diagnostic());
                 }
                 catch (std::logic_error& ex)
                 {
+                    context.error = true;
                     context.logger->log("libclang parser",
                                         diagnostic{ex.what(), detail::make_location(child),
                                                    severity::error});
diff --git a/src/libclang/libclang_parser.cpp b/src/libclang/libclang_parser.cpp
index cafede5..df27ec7 100644
--- a/src/libclang/libclang_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/libclang/libclang_parser.cpp
@@ -400,8 +400,12 @@ std::unique_ptr<cpp_file> libclang_parser::do_parse(const cpp_entity_index& idx,
     auto              include_iter = preprocessed.includes.begin();
 
     // convert entity hierarchies
-    detail::parse_context context{tu.get(), file, type_safe::ref(logger()), type_safe::ref(idx),
-                                  detail::comment_context(preprocessed.comments)};
+    detail::parse_context context{tu.get(),
+                                  file,
+                                  type_safe::ref(logger()),
+                                  type_safe::ref(idx),
+                                  detail::comment_context(preprocessed.comments),
+                                  false};
     detail::visit_tu(tu, path.c_str(), [&](const CXCursor& cur) {
         if (clang_getCursorKind(cur) == CXCursor_InclusionDirective)
         {
@@ -439,10 +443,14 @@ std::unique_ptr<cpp_file> libclang_parser::do_parse(const cpp_entity_index& idx,
             builder.add_unmatched_comment(std::move(c.comment));
     }
 
+    if (context.error)
+        set_error();
+
     return builder.finish(idx);
 }
 catch (detail::parse_error& ex)
 {
     logger().log("libclang parser", ex.get_diagnostic());
+    set_error();
     return nullptr;
 }
diff --git a/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp b/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp
index bdbb68d..c001d51 100644
--- a/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp
@@ -230,11 +230,13 @@ std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> detail::parse_entity(const detail::parse_context& co
 }
 catch (parse_error& ex)
 {
+    context.error = true;
     context.logger->log("libclang parser", ex.get_diagnostic());
     return nullptr;
 }
 catch (std::logic_error& ex)
 {
+    context.error = true;
     context.logger->log("libclang parser",
                         diagnostic{ex.what(), detail::make_location(cur), severity::error});
     return nullptr;
diff --git a/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp b/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp
index 4572437..7ef94a1 100644
--- a/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp
+++ b/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ namespace cppast
             type_safe::object_ref<const diagnostic_logger> logger;
             type_safe::object_ref<const cpp_entity_index>  idx;
             comment_context                                comments;
+            mutable bool                                   error;
         };
 
         // parse default value of variable, function parameter...
diff --git a/src/parser.cpp b/src/parser.cpp
index 64f59a3..05b7789 100644
--- a/src/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/parser.cpp
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ using namespace cppast;
 
 bool diagnostic_logger::log(const char* source, const diagnostic& d) const
 {
-    if (d.severity == severity::error || d.severity == severity::critical)
-        error_ = true;
-    else if (!verbose_ && d.severity == severity::debug)
+    if (!verbose_ && d.severity == severity::debug)
         return false;
     return do_log(source, d);
 }
diff --git a/test/test_parser.hpp b/test/test_parser.hpp
index ee38f2e..09ade72 100644
--- a/test/test_parser.hpp
+++ b/test/test_parser.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ inline std::unique_ptr<cppast::cpp_file> parse_file(const cppast::cpp_entity_ind
 
     std::unique_ptr<cppast::cpp_file> result;
     REQUIRE_NOTHROW(result = p.parse(idx, name, config));
-    REQUIRE(!logger.error_logged());
+    REQUIRE(!p.error());
     return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/tool/main.cpp b/tool/main.cpp
index 2f90d87..b17ef99 100644
--- a/tool/main.cpp
+++ b/tool/main.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<cppast::cpp_file> parse_file(const cppast::libclang_compile_conf
     cppast::libclang_parser parser(type_safe::ref(logger));
     // parse the file
     auto file = parser.parse(idx, filename, config);
-    if (fatal_error && logger.error_logged())
+    if (fatal_error && parser.error())
         return nullptr;
     return file;
 }