diff --git a/lib/mqtt.rb b/lib/mqtt.rb
index 9c631f6..0ef35e5 100644
--- a/lib/mqtt.rb
+++ b/lib/mqtt.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ module MQTT
   DEFAULT_SSL_PORT = 8883
 
   # Super-class for other MQTT related exceptions
-  class Exception < ::Exception
+  class Exception < StandardError
   end
 
   # A ProtocolException will be raised if there is a
diff --git a/spec/mqtt_exception_spec.rb b/spec/mqtt_exception_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..389f396
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/mqtt_exception_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+$:.unshift(File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'mqtt'
+
+describe MQTT do
+
+  describe "mqtt exceptions" do
+    it "should be a ruby standard error" do
+      expect(MQTT::ProtocolException.new).to be_a(StandardError)
+      expect(MQTT::NotConnectedException.new).to be_a(StandardError)
+      expect(MQTT::SN::ProtocolException.new).to be_a(StandardError)
+    end
+
+    it "should be an mqtt error" do
+      expect(MQTT::ProtocolException.new).to be_a(MQTT::Exception)
+      expect(MQTT::NotConnectedException.new).to be_a(MQTT::Exception)
+      expect(MQTT::SN::ProtocolException.new).to be_a(MQTT::Exception)
+    end
+    
+  end
+
+end