diff --git a/proto/backend.proto b/proto/backend.proto
index 27c7d5b19..c9435c7d4 100644
--- a/proto/backend.proto
+++ b/proto/backend.proto
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ message BackendError {
     string localized = 1;
     // error specifics
     oneof value {
-        StringError invalid_input = 2;
-        StringError template_parse = 3;
-        StringError io_error = 4;
-        StringError db_error = 5;
+        Empty invalid_input = 2;
+        Empty template_parse = 3;
+        Empty io_error = 4;
+        Empty db_error = 5;
         NetworkError network_error = 6;
         SyncError sync_error = 7;
         // user interrupted operation
@@ -95,23 +95,17 @@ message Progress {
     }
 }
 
-message StringError {
-    string info = 1;
-}
-
 message NetworkError {
-    string info = 1;
     enum NetworkErrorKind {
         OTHER = 0;
         OFFLINE = 1;
         TIMEOUT = 2;
         PROXY_AUTH = 3;
     }
-    NetworkErrorKind kind = 2;
+    NetworkErrorKind kind = 1;
 }
 
 message SyncError {
-    string info = 1;
     enum SyncErrorKind {
         OTHER = 0;
         CONFLICT = 1;
@@ -122,7 +116,7 @@ message SyncError {
         MEDIA_CHECK_REQUIRED = 6;
         RESYNC_REQUIRED = 7;
     }
-    SyncErrorKind kind = 2;
+    SyncErrorKind kind = 1;
 }
 
 message MediaSyncProgress {
diff --git a/rslib/src/backend.rs b/rslib/src/backend.rs
index 7d0f10444..0f76a049f 100644
--- a/rslib/src/backend.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/backend.rs
@@ -44,18 +44,14 @@ fn anki_error_to_proto_error(err: AnkiError, i18n: &I18n) -> pb::BackendError {
     use pb::backend_error::Value as V;
     let localized = err.localized_description(i18n);
     let value = match err {
-        AnkiError::InvalidInput { info } => V::InvalidInput(pb::StringError { info }),
-        AnkiError::TemplateError { info } => V::TemplateParse(pb::StringError { info }),
-        AnkiError::IOError { info } => V::IoError(pb::StringError { info }),
-        AnkiError::DBError { info } => V::DbError(pb::StringError { info }),
-        AnkiError::NetworkError { info, kind } => V::NetworkError(pb::NetworkError {
-            info,
-            kind: kind.into(),
-        }),
-        AnkiError::SyncError { info, kind } => V::SyncError(pb::SyncError {
-            info,
-            kind: kind.into(),
-        }),
+        AnkiError::InvalidInput { .. } => V::InvalidInput(pb::Empty {}),
+        AnkiError::TemplateError { .. } => V::TemplateParse(pb::Empty {}),
+        AnkiError::IOError { .. } => V::IoError(pb::Empty {}),
+        AnkiError::DBError { .. } => V::DbError(pb::Empty {}),
+        AnkiError::NetworkError { kind, .. } => {
+            V::NetworkError(pb::NetworkError { kind: kind.into() })
+        }
+        AnkiError::SyncError { kind, .. } => V::SyncError(pb::SyncError { kind: kind.into() }),
         AnkiError::Interrupted => V::Interrupted(Empty {}),
     };