diff --git a/lib/bcrypt.rb b/lib/bcrypt.rb
index b07678c..12f50a5 100644
--- a/lib/bcrypt.rb
+++ b/lib/bcrypt.rb
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@
 # A Ruby library implementing OpenBSD's bcrypt()/crypt_blowfish algorithm for
 # hashing passwords.
 module BCrypt
+
+  class Error < StandardError; end
   module Errors
-    class InvalidSalt   < StandardError; end  # The salt parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
-    class InvalidHash   < StandardError; end  # The hash parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
-    class InvalidCost   < StandardError; end  # The cost parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
-    class InvalidSecret < StandardError; end  # The secret parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
+    class InvalidSalt   < BCrypt::Error; end  # The salt parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
+    class InvalidHash   < BCrypt::Error; end  # The hash parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
+    class InvalidCost   < BCrypt::Error; end  # The cost parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
+    class InvalidSecret < BCrypt::Error; end  # The secret parameter provided to bcrypt() is invalid.
   end
 
   # A Ruby wrapper for the bcrypt() C extension calls and the Java calls.
diff --git a/spec/bcrypt/error_spec.rb b/spec/bcrypt/error_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d36d6bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/bcrypt/error_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+require File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "..", "spec_helper"))
+
+describe "Errors" do
+
+  shared_examples "descends from StandardError" do
+    it "can be rescued as a StandardError" do
+      described_class.should < StandardError
+    end
+  end
+
+  shared_examples "descends from BCrypt::Error" do
+    it "can be rescued as a BCrypt::Error" do
+      described_class.should < BCrypt::Error
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe BCrypt::Error do
+    include_examples "descends from StandardError"
+  end
+
+  describe BCrypt::Errors::InvalidCost do
+    include_examples "descends from BCrypt::Error"
+  end
+
+  describe BCrypt::Errors::InvalidHash do
+    include_examples "descends from BCrypt::Error"
+  end
+
+  describe BCrypt::Errors::InvalidSalt do
+    include_examples "descends from BCrypt::Error"
+  end
+
+  describe BCrypt::Errors::InvalidSecret do
+    include_examples "descends from BCrypt::Error"
+  end
+
+end