diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba540e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package process
+
+import coreerr "dappco.re/go/core/log"
+
+// ServiceError wraps a service-level failure with a message string.
+//
+// Example:
+//
+//	return process.ServiceError("context is required", process.ErrContextRequired)
+func ServiceError(message string, err error) error {
+	return coreerr.E("ServiceError", message, err)
+}
diff --git a/errors_test.go b/errors_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61d3f42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/errors_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package process
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestServiceError(t *testing.T) {
+	err := ServiceError("service failed", ErrContextRequired)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "service failed")
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrContextRequired)
+}
diff --git a/service.go b/service.go
index edb30c5..28979f1 100644
--- a/service.go
+++ b/service.go
@@ -138,10 +138,10 @@ func (s *Service) Start(ctx context.Context, command string, args ...string) (*P
 //	proc, err := svc.StartWithOptions(ctx, process.RunOptions{Command: "pwd", Dir: "/tmp"})
 func (s *Service) StartWithOptions(ctx context.Context, opts RunOptions) (*Process, error) {
 	if opts.Command == "" {
-		return nil, coreerr.E("Service.StartWithOptions", "command is required", nil)
+		return nil, ServiceError("command is required", nil)
 	}
 	if ctx == nil {
-		return nil, coreerr.E("Service.StartWithOptions", "context is required", ErrContextRequired)
+		return nil, ServiceError("context is required", ErrContextRequired)
 	}
 
 	id := fmt.Sprintf("proc-%d", s.idCounter.Add(1))
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ func (s *Service) Kill(id string) error {
 //	_ = svc.KillPID(1234)
 func (s *Service) KillPID(pid int) error {
 	if pid <= 0 {
-		return coreerr.E("Service.KillPID", "pid must be positive", nil)
+		return ServiceError("pid must be positive", nil)
 	}
 
 	if proc := s.findByPID(pid); proc != nil {
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ func (s *Service) Signal(id string, sig os.Signal) error {
 //	_ = svc.SignalPID(1234, syscall.SIGTERM)
 func (s *Service) SignalPID(pid int, sig os.Signal) error {
 	if pid <= 0 {
-		return coreerr.E("Service.SignalPID", "pid must be positive", nil)
+		return ServiceError("pid must be positive", nil)
 	}
 
 	if proc := s.findByPID(pid); proc != nil {