diff --git a/call.go b/call.go
index 9af9c04f..13ca5b78 100644
--- a/call.go
+++ b/call.go
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func invoke(ctx context.Context, method string, args, reply interface{}, cc *Cli
 		t, put, err = cc.getTransport(ctx, gopts)
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO(zhaoq): Probably revisit the error handling.
-			if _, ok := err.(status.Status); ok {
+			if _, ok := status.FromError(err); ok {
 				return err
 			}
 			if err == errConnClosing || err == errConnUnavailable {
diff --git a/call_test.go b/call_test.go
index 63e87c21..437197c8 100644
--- a/call_test.go
+++ b/call_test.go
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func TestInvokeLargeErr(t *testing.T) {
 	var reply string
 	req := "hello"
 	err := Invoke(context.Background(), "/foo/bar", &req, &reply, cc)
-	if _, ok := err.(status.Status); !ok {
+	if _, ok := status.FromError(err); !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("grpc.Invoke(_, _, _, _, _) receives non rpc error.")
 	}
 	if Code(err) != codes.Internal || len(ErrorDesc(err)) != sizeLargeErr {
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func TestInvokeErrorSpecialChars(t *testing.T) {
 	var reply string
 	req := "weird error"
 	err := Invoke(context.Background(), "/foo/bar", &req, &reply, cc)
-	if _, ok := err.(status.Status); !ok {
+	if _, ok := status.FromError(err); !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("grpc.Invoke(_, _, _, _, _) receives non rpc error.")
 	}
 	if got, want := ErrorDesc(err), weirdError; got != want {
diff --git a/rpc_util.go b/rpc_util.go
index 6386660d..db56a88d 100644
--- a/rpc_util.go
+++ b/rpc_util.go
@@ -404,9 +404,10 @@ func Errorf(c codes.Code, format string, a ...interface{}) error {
 
 // toRPCErr converts an error into an error from the status package.
 func toRPCErr(err error) error {
-	switch e := err.(type) {
-	case status.Status:
+	if _, ok := status.FromError(err); ok {
 		return err
+	}
+	switch e := err.(type) {
 	case transport.StreamError:
 		return status.Error(e.Code, e.Desc)
 	case transport.ConnectionError:
diff --git a/rpc_util_test.go b/rpc_util_test.go
index f2b43f0f..8c92b963 100644
--- a/rpc_util_test.go
+++ b/rpc_util_test.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func TestToRPCErr(t *testing.T) {
 		{transport.ErrConnClosing, status.Error(codes.Internal, transport.ErrConnClosing.Desc)},
 	} {
 		err := toRPCErr(test.errIn)
-		if _, ok := err.(status.Status); !ok {
+		if _, ok := status.FromError(err); !ok {
 			t.Fatalf("toRPCErr{%v} returned type %T, want %T", test.errIn, err, status.Error(codes.Unknown, ""))
 		}
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, test.errOut) {
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 74f9788d..7956c22a 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -682,25 +682,27 @@ func (s *Server) processUnaryRPC(t transport.ServerTransport, stream *transport.
 			err = Errorf(codes.Internal, io.ErrUnexpectedEOF.Error())
 		}
 		if err != nil {
-			switch st := err.(type) {
-			case status.Status:
+			if st, ok := status.FromError(err); ok {
 				if e := t.WriteStatus(stream, st); e != nil {
 					grpclog.Printf("grpc: Server.processUnaryRPC failed to write status %v", e)
 				}
-			case transport.ConnectionError:
-				// Nothing to do here.
-			case transport.StreamError:
-				if e := t.WriteStatus(stream, status.New(st.Code, st.Desc)); e != nil {
-					grpclog.Printf("grpc: Server.processUnaryRPC failed to write status %v", e)
+			} else {
+				switch st := err.(type) {
+				case transport.ConnectionError:
+					// Nothing to do here.
+				case transport.StreamError:
+					if e := t.WriteStatus(stream, status.New(st.Code, st.Desc)); e != nil {
+						grpclog.Printf("grpc: Server.processUnaryRPC failed to write status %v", e)
+					}
+				default:
+					panic(fmt.Sprintf("grpc: Unexpected error (%T) from recvMsg: %v", st, st))
 				}
-			default:
-				panic(fmt.Sprintf("grpc: Unexpected error (%T) from recvMsg: %v", st, st))
 			}
 			return err
 		}
 
 		if err := checkRecvPayload(pf, stream.RecvCompress(), s.opts.dc); err != nil {
-			if st, ok := err.(status.Status); ok {
+			if st, ok := status.FromError(err); ok {
 				if e := t.WriteStatus(stream, st); e != nil {
 					grpclog.Printf("grpc: Server.processUnaryRPC failed to write status %v", e)
 				}
@@ -852,15 +854,16 @@ func (s *Server) processStreamingRPC(t transport.ServerTransport, stream *transp
 		appErr = s.opts.streamInt(server, ss, info, sd.Handler)
 	}
 	if appErr != nil {
-		switch err := appErr.(type) {
-		case status.Status:
-			// Do nothing
-		case transport.StreamError:
-			appErr = status.Error(err.Code, err.Desc)
-		default:
-			appErr = status.Error(convertCode(appErr), appErr.Error())
+		appStatus, ok := status.FromError(appErr)
+		if !ok {
+			switch err := appErr.(type) {
+			case transport.StreamError:
+				appStatus = status.New(err.Code, err.Desc)
+			default:
+				appStatus = status.New(convertCode(appErr), appErr.Error())
+			}
+			appErr = appStatus.Err()
 		}
-		appStatus, _ := status.FromError(appErr)
 		if trInfo != nil {
 			ss.mu.Lock()
 			ss.trInfo.tr.LazyLog(stringer(appStatus.Message()), true)
diff --git a/status/status.go b/status/status.go
index 0e402081..9637aff3 100644
--- a/status/status.go
+++ b/status/status.go
@@ -50,78 +50,56 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 )
 
-// Status provides access to grpc status details and is implemented by all
-// errors returned from this package except nil errors, which are not typed.
-// Note: gRPC users should not implement their own Statuses.  Custom data may
-// be attached to the spb.Status proto's Details field.
-type Status interface {
-	// Code returns the status code.
-	Code() codes.Code
-	// Message returns the status message.
-	Message() string
-	// Proto returns a copy of the status in proto form.
-	Proto() *spb.Status
-	// Err returns an error representing the status.
-	Err() error
-}
-
-// okStatus is a Status whose Code method returns codes.OK, but does not
-// implement error.  To represent an OK code as an error, use an untyped nil.
-type okStatus struct{}
-
-func (okStatus) Code() codes.Code {
-	return codes.OK
-}
-
-func (okStatus) Message() string {
-	return ""
-}
-
-func (okStatus) Proto() *spb.Status {
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (okStatus) Err() error {
-	return nil
-}
-
-// statusError contains a status proto.  It is embedded and not aliased to
-// allow for accessor functions of the same name.  It implements error and
-// Status, and a nil statusError should never be returned by this package.
-type statusError struct {
-	*spb.Status
-}
+// statusError is an alias of a status proto.  It implements error and Status,
+// and a nil statusError should never be returned by this package.
+type statusError spb.Status
 
 func (se *statusError) Error() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("rpc error: code = %s desc = %s", se.Code(), se.Message())
+	p := (*spb.Status)(se)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("rpc error: code = %s desc = %s", codes.Code(p.GetCode()), p.GetMessage())
 }
 
-func (se *statusError) Code() codes.Code {
-	return codes.Code(se.Status.Code)
+func (se *statusError) status() *Status {
+	return &Status{s: (*spb.Status)(se)}
 }
 
-func (se *statusError) Message() string {
-	return se.Status.Message
+// Status represents an RPC status code, message, and details.  It is immutable
+// and should be created with New, Newf, or FromProto.
+type Status struct {
+	s *spb.Status
 }
 
-func (se *statusError) Proto() *spb.Status {
-	return proto.Clone(se.Status).(*spb.Status)
+// Code returns the status code contained in s.
+func (s *Status) Code() codes.Code {
+	return codes.Code(s.s.Code)
 }
 
-func (se *statusError) Err() error {
-	return se
+// Message returns the message contained in s.
+func (s *Status) Message() string {
+	return s.s.Message
+}
+
+// Proto returns s's status as an spb.Status proto message.
+func (s *Status) Proto() *spb.Status {
+	return proto.Clone(s.s).(*spb.Status)
+}
+
+// Err returns an immutable error representing s; returns nil if s.Code() is
+// OK.
+func (s *Status) Err() error {
+	if s.Code() == codes.OK {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return (*statusError)(s.s)
 }
 
 // New returns a Status representing c and msg.
-func New(c codes.Code, msg string) Status {
-	if c == codes.OK {
-		return okStatus{}
-	}
-	return &statusError{Status: &spb.Status{Code: int32(c), Message: msg}}
+func New(c codes.Code, msg string) *Status {
+	return &Status{s: &spb.Status{Code: int32(c), Message: msg}}
 }
 
 // Newf returns New(c, fmt.Sprintf(format, a...)).
-func Newf(c codes.Code, format string, a ...interface{}) Status {
+func Newf(c codes.Code, format string, a ...interface{}) *Status {
 	return New(c, fmt.Sprintf(format, a...))
 }
 
@@ -140,21 +118,19 @@ func ErrorProto(s *spb.Status) error {
 	return FromProto(s).Err()
 }
 
-// FromProto returns a Status representing s.  If s.Code is OK, Message and
-// Details may be lost.
-func FromProto(s *spb.Status) Status {
-	if s.GetCode() == int32(codes.OK) {
-		return okStatus{}
-	}
-	return &statusError{Status: proto.Clone(s).(*spb.Status)}
+// FromProto returns a Status representing s.
+func FromProto(s *spb.Status) *Status {
+	return &Status{s: proto.Clone(s).(*spb.Status)}
 }
 
 // FromError returns a Status representing err if it was produced from this
 // package, otherwise it returns nil, false.
-func FromError(err error) (s Status, ok bool) {
+func FromError(err error) (s *Status, ok bool) {
 	if err == nil {
-		return okStatus{}, true
+		return &Status{s: &spb.Status{Code: int32(codes.OK)}}, true
 	}
-	s, ok = err.(Status)
-	return s, ok
+	if s, ok := err.(*statusError); ok {
+		return s.status(), true
+	}
+	return nil, false
 }
diff --git a/status/status_test.go b/status/status_test.go
index 34de196c..5705f141 100644
--- a/status/status_test.go
+++ b/status/status_test.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TestError(t *testing.T) {
 	if got, want := err.Error(), "rpc error: code = Internal desc = test description"; got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("err.Error() = %q; want %q", got, want)
 	}
-	s := err.(Status)
+	s, _ := FromError(err)
 	if got, want := s.Code(), codes.Internal; got != want {
 		t.Fatalf("err.Code() = %s; want %s", got, want)
 	}
diff --git a/stream.go b/stream.go
index 399e93f3..ecb1a31f 100644
--- a/stream.go
+++ b/stream.go
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ func newClientStream(ctx context.Context, desc *StreamDesc, cc *ClientConn, meth
 		t, put, err = cc.getTransport(ctx, gopts)
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO(zhaoq): Probably revisit the error handling.
-			if _, ok := err.(status.Status); ok {
+			if _, ok := status.FromError(err); ok {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			if err == errConnClosing || err == errConnUnavailable {
diff --git a/transport/handler_server.go b/transport/handler_server.go
index 5bf63630..e1c43f68 100644
--- a/transport/handler_server.go
+++ b/transport/handler_server.go
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func (ht *serverHandlerTransport) do(fn func()) error {
 	}
 }
 
-func (ht *serverHandlerTransport) WriteStatus(s *Stream, st status.Status) error {
+func (ht *serverHandlerTransport) WriteStatus(s *Stream, st *status.Status) error {
 	err := ht.do(func() {
 		ht.writeCommonHeaders(s)
 
diff --git a/transport/http2_server.go b/transport/http2_server.go
index 9972a839..db72e940 100644
--- a/transport/http2_server.go
+++ b/transport/http2_server.go
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ func (t *http2Server) WriteHeader(s *Stream, md metadata.MD) error {
 // There is no further I/O operations being able to perform on this stream.
 // TODO(zhaoq): Now it indicates the end of entire stream. Revisit if early
 // OK is adopted.
-func (t *http2Server) WriteStatus(s *Stream, st status.Status) error {
+func (t *http2Server) WriteStatus(s *Stream, st *status.Status) error {
 	var headersSent, hasHeader bool
 	s.mu.Lock()
 	if s.state == streamDone {
diff --git a/transport/http_util.go b/transport/http_util.go
index 57aad62d..bec3e3a8 100644
--- a/transport/http_util.go
+++ b/transport/http_util.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ type decodeState struct {
 	// statusGen caches the stream status received from the trailer the server
 	// sent.  Client side only.  Do not access directly.  After all trailers are
 	// parsed, use the status method to retrieve the status.
-	statusGen status.Status
+	statusGen *status.Status
 	// rawStatusCode and rawStatusMsg are set from the raw trailer fields and are not
 	// intended for direct access outside of parsing.
 	rawStatusCode int32
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func validContentType(t string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func (d *decodeState) status() status.Status {
+func (d *decodeState) status() *status.Status {
 	if d.statusGen == nil {
 		// No status-details were provided; generate status using code/msg.
 		d.statusGen = status.New(codes.Code(d.rawStatusCode), d.rawStatusMsg)
diff --git a/transport/transport.go b/transport/transport.go
index 3b8bd01c..df67d57e 100644
--- a/transport/transport.go
+++ b/transport/transport.go
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ type Stream struct {
 	// multiple times.
 	headerDone bool
 	// the status error received from the server.
-	status status.Status
+	status *status.Status
 	// rstStream indicates whether a RST_STREAM frame needs to be sent
 	// to the server to signify that this stream is closing.
 	rstStream bool
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ func (s *Stream) Method() string {
 }
 
 // Status returns the status received from the server.
-func (s *Stream) Status() status.Status {
+func (s *Stream) Status() *status.Status {
 	return s.status
 }
 
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ func (s *Stream) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 }
 
 // finish sets the stream's state and status, and closes the done channel.
-// s.mu must be held by the caller.
-func (s *Stream) finish(st status.Status) {
+// s.mu must be held by the caller.  st must always be non-nil.
+func (s *Stream) finish(st *status.Status) {
 	s.status = st
 	s.state = streamDone
 	close(s.done)
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ type ServerTransport interface {
 
 	// WriteStatus sends the status of a stream to the client.  WriteStatus is
 	// the final call made on a stream and always occurs.
-	WriteStatus(s *Stream, st status.Status) error
+	WriteStatus(s *Stream, st *status.Status) error
 
 	// Close tears down the transport. Once it is called, the transport
 	// should not be accessed any more. All the pending streams and their