diff --git a/src/exception.h b/src/exception.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbd1812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/exception.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2013, Regents of the University of California
+ *                     Yingdi Yu
+ *
+ * BSD license, See the LICENSE file for more information
+ *
+ * Author: Yingdi Yu <yingdi@cs.ucla.edu>
+ */
+
+#ifndef LINKEDN_EXCEPTION_H
+#define LINKEDN_EXCEPTION_H
+
+#include <exception>
+#include <string>
+
+class LnException : public std::exception
+{
+public:
+  LnException(const std::string & errMsg) throw();
+  
+  ~LnException() throw()
+  {}
+  
+  inline const std::string& 
+  msg() const 
+  {return m_errMsg;}
+  
+private:
+  const std::string m_errMsg;
+};
+
+#endif