Techniques are described for performing error performance measurement in a packet data communication network such as a packet switching network (PSN). An example method of error performance measurement includes determining, upon expiration of a time period, that a number of one or more test packets received by the first device during the time period is less than an expected number of test packets, where the one or more test packets are received by the first device from the second device in a packet data communication network, and triggering, based on the determining, an error performance measurement that includes evaluating a type of failure for the time period and evaluating one or more types of failures for one or more consecutive time periods that immediately precede the time period.