diff --git a/lib/ri_cal/parser.rb b/lib/ri_cal/parser.rb
index 99d3dd10..fcb177c6 100644
--- a/lib/ri_cal/parser.rb
+++ b/lib/ri_cal/parser.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ module RiCal
   #- ©2009 Rick DeNatale
   #- All rights reserved. Refer to the file README.txt for the license
   #
+  class ParseError < StandardError; end
+  
   class Parser # :nodoc:
     attr_reader :last_line_str #:nodoc:
     def next_line #:nodoc:
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ def self.parse(io = StringIO.new("")) #:nodoc:
     end
 
     def invalid #:nodoc:
-      raise Exception.new("Invalid icalendar file")
+      raise ParseError.new("Invalid icalendar file")      
     end
 
     def still_in(component, separated_line) #:nodoc:
@@ -142,4 +144,4 @@ def parse_one(start, parent_component) #:nodoc:
       result
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/ri_cal/parser_spec.rb b/spec/ri_cal/parser_spec.rb
index dd8656d3..d135927b 100644
--- a/spec/ri_cal/parser_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ri_cal/parser_spec.rb
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def self.describe_named_property(entity_name, prop_text, prop_name, params, valu
 
     it "should reject a file which doesn't start with BEGIN" do
       parser = RiCal::Parser.new(StringIO.new("END:VCALENDAR"))
-      lambda {parser.parse}.should raise_error     
+      lambda {parser.parse}.should raise_error(RiCal::ParseError)
     end
 
     describe "parsing an event" do