diff --git a/errors.py b/errors.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dfb07b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/errors.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+#
+# This file is part of reclass (http://github.com/madduck/reclass)
+#
+# Copyright © 2007–13 martin f. krafft <madduck@madduck.net>
+# Released under the terms of the Artistic Licence 2.0
+#
+
+import posix
+
+class ReclassException(Exception):
+
+    def __init__(self, rc=posix.EX_SOFTWARE, *args):
+        super(ReclassException, self).__init__(*args)
+        self._rc = rc
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "reclass encountered an exception, sorry!"
+
+    message = property(lambda self: self.__str__())
+    rc = property(lambda self: self._rc)
+
+
+class NotFoundError(ReclassException):
+
+    def __init__(self, rc=posix.EX_IOERR):
+        super(NotFoundError, self).__init__(rc)
+
+
+class NodeNotFound(NotFoundError):
+
+    def __init__(self, storage, classname, uri):
+        super(NodeNotFound, self).__init__()
+        self._storage = storage
+        self._name = classname
+        self._uri = uri
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "Node '{0}' not found under {1}://{2}".format(self._name,
+                                                             self._storage,
+                                                             self._uri)
+
+
+class ClassNotFound(NodeNotFound):
+
+    def __init__(self, storage, classname, uri, nodename):
+        super(ClassNotFound, self).__init__(storage, classname, uri)
+        self._nodename = nodename
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "Class '{0}' (in ancestry of node {1}) not found under {2}://{3}" \
+                .format(self._name, self._nodename, self._storage, self._uri)