diff --git a/pymysql/connections.py b/pymysql/connections.py
index d9ade9a2..93efd9be 100644
--- a/pymysql/connections.py
+++ b/pymysql/connections.py
@@ -668,7 +668,10 @@ def _read_packet(self, packet_type=MysqlPacket):
                 break
 
         packet = packet_type(bytes(buff), self.encoding)
-        packet.check_error()
+        if packet.is_error_packet():
+            if self._result is not None and self._result.unbuffered_active is True:
+                self._result.unbuffered_active = False
+            packet.raise_for_error()
         return packet
 
     def _read_bytes(self, num_bytes):
diff --git a/pymysql/protocol.py b/pymysql/protocol.py
index 8ccf7c4d..e302edab 100644
--- a/pymysql/protocol.py
+++ b/pymysql/protocol.py
@@ -213,11 +213,14 @@ def is_error_packet(self):
 
     def check_error(self):
         if self.is_error_packet():
-            self.rewind()
-            self.advance(1)  # field_count == error (we already know that)
-            errno = self.read_uint16()
-            if DEBUG: print("errno =", errno)
-            err.raise_mysql_exception(self._data)
+            self.raise_for_error()
+
+    def raise_for_error(self):
+        self.rewind()
+        self.advance(1)  # field_count == error (we already know that)
+        errno = self.read_uint16()
+        if DEBUG: print("errno =", errno)
+        err.raise_mysql_exception(self._data)
 
     def dump(self):
         dump_packet(self._data)