diff --git a/libsemanage/src/.gitignore b/libsemanage/src/.gitignore
index 232f7876..b1d65181 100644
--- a/libsemanage/src/.gitignore
+++ b/libsemanage/src/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 semanageswig_wrap.c
+semanageswig_python_exception.i
 semanage.py
diff --git a/libsemanage/src/Makefile b/libsemanage/src/Makefile
index e54788a6..d21e972e 100644
--- a/libsemanage/src/Makefile
+++ b/libsemanage/src/Makefile
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ LIBVERSION = 1
 LIBA=libsemanage.a
 TARGET=libsemanage.so
 LIBPC=libsemanage.pc
-SWIGIF= semanageswig_python.i
+SWIGIF= semanageswig_python.i semanageswig_python_exception.i
 SWIGRUBYIF= semanageswig_ruby.i
 SWIGCOUT= semanageswig_wrap.c
 SWIGRUBYCOUT= semanageswig_ruby_wrap.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ SWIGFILES=$(SWIGSO) semanage.py
 SWIGRUBYSO=_rubysemanage.so
 LIBSO=$(TARGET).$(LIBVERSION)
 
-GENERATED=$(SWIGCOUT) $(SWIGRUBYCOUT)
+GENERATED=$(SWIGCOUT) $(SWIGRUBYCOUT) semanageswig_python_exception.i
 SRCS= $(filter-out $(GENERATED),$(wildcard *.c))
 
 OBJS= $(patsubst %.c,%.o,$(SRCS)) conf-scan.o conf-parse.o
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ $(LIBSO): $(LOBJS)
 $(LIBPC): $(LIBPC).in
 	sed -e 's/@VERSION@/$(VERSION)/; s:@prefix@:$(PREFIX):; s:@libdir@:$(LIBBASE):; s:@includedir@:$(INCLUDEDIR):' < $< > $@
 
+semanageswig_python_exception.i: ../include/semanage/semanage.h
+	bash exception.sh > $@
+
 conf-scan.c: conf-scan.l conf-parse.h
 	$(LEX) $(LFLAGS) -t $< > $@
 
diff --git a/libsemanage/src/exception.sh b/libsemanage/src/exception.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8693fb78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libsemanage/src/exception.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+function except() {
+echo "
+%exception $1 {
+  \$action
+  if (result < 0) {
+     PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_OSError);
+     return NULL;
+  }
+}
+"
+}
+gcc -x c -c - -aux-info temp.aux < ../include/semanage/semanage.h
+for i in `awk '/extern int/ { print $6 }' temp.aux`; do except $i ; done
+rm -f -- temp.aux -.o
diff --git a/libsemanage/src/semanageswig_python.i b/libsemanage/src/semanageswig_python.i
index 96c670c2..c074f5f0 100644
--- a/libsemanage/src/semanageswig_python.i
+++ b/libsemanage/src/semanageswig_python.i
@@ -460,4 +460,5 @@
 	$1 = &temp;
 }
 
+%include "semanageswig_python_exception.i"
 %include "semanageswig.i"