Described are techniques for use with an error handling policy for a data storage system. Error handling criteria may be specified for controlling behavior of the data storage system upon the occurrence of an internal processing error occurring when performing an ancillary task associated with a data operation received by the data storage system. The error handling criteria may include a threshold counter value, and one or more of: a device, a specific device location or address, and a host. An error may be conditionally returned to the host upon the occurrence of an internal processing error in accordance with the error handling criteria.