diff --git a/tempest/common/rest_client.py b/tempest/common/rest_client.py
index 5710f4c..8db2010 100644
--- a/tempest/common/rest_client.py
+++ b/tempest/common/rest_client.py
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@
         if resp.status >= 400:
             resp_body = self._parse_resp(resp_body)
             self._log(req_url, body, resp, resp_body)
-            raise exceptions.TempestException(str(resp.status))
+            raise exceptions.RestClientException(str(resp.status))
 
         return resp, resp_body
 
diff --git a/tempest/exceptions.py b/tempest/exceptions.py
index 178c2f2..de22688 100644
--- a/tempest/exceptions.py
+++ b/tempest/exceptions.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import unittest2 as unittest
+
 
 class TempestException(Exception):
     """
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@
     message = "An unknown exception occurred"
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(TempestException, self).__init__()
         try:
             self._error_string = self.message % kwargs
         except Exception:
@@ -49,11 +52,16 @@
     message = "Invalid Configuration"
 
 
-class NotFound(TempestException):
+class RestClientException(TempestException,
+                          unittest.TestCase.failureException):
+    pass
+
+
+class NotFound(RestClientException):
     message = "Object not found"
 
 
-class Unauthorized(TempestException):
+class Unauthorized(RestClientException):
     message = 'Unauthorized'
 
 
@@ -78,11 +86,11 @@
     message = "Volume %(volume_id)s failed to build and is in ERROR status"
 
 
-class BadRequest(TempestException):
+class BadRequest(RestClientException):
     message = "Bad request"
 
 
-class AuthenticationFailure(TempestException):
+class AuthenticationFailure(RestClientException):
     message = ("Authentication with user %(user)s and password "
                "%(password)s failed")
 
@@ -108,7 +116,7 @@
     message = "Got identity error"
 
 
-class Duplicate(TempestException):
+class Duplicate(RestClientException):
     message = "An object with that identifier already exists"
 
 
@@ -135,7 +143,7 @@
     message = "%(num)d cleanUp operation failed"
 
 
-class RFCViolation(TempestException):
+class RFCViolation(RestClientException):
     message = "RFC Violation"