diff --git a/include/ndnboost/system/system_error.hpp b/include/ndnboost/system/system_error.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffa732d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/ndnboost/system/system_error.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+//  Boost system_error.hpp  --------------------------------------------------//
+
+//  Copyright Beman Dawes 2006
+
+//  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+//  file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#ifndef NDNBOOST_SYSTEM_ERROR_HPP
+#define NDNBOOST_SYSTEM_ERROR_HPP
+
+#include <string>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <cassert>
+#include <ndnboost/system/error_code.hpp>
+
+namespace ndnboost
+{
+  namespace system
+  {
+    //  class system_error  ------------------------------------------------------------//
+
+    class NDNBOOST_SYMBOL_VISIBLE system_error : public std::runtime_error
+    // NDNBOOST_SYMBOL_VISIBLE is needed by GCC to ensure system_error thrown from a shared
+    // library can be caught. See svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/3697
+    {
+    public:
+      system_error( error_code ec )
+          : std::runtime_error(""), m_error_code(ec) {}
+
+      system_error( error_code ec, const std::string & what_arg )
+          : std::runtime_error(what_arg), m_error_code(ec) {}
+
+      system_error( error_code ec, const char* what_arg )
+          : std::runtime_error(what_arg), m_error_code(ec) {}
+
+      system_error( int ev, const error_category & ecat )
+          : std::runtime_error(""), m_error_code(ev,ecat) {}
+
+      system_error( int ev, const error_category & ecat,
+        const std::string & what_arg )
+          : std::runtime_error(what_arg), m_error_code(ev,ecat) {}
+
+      system_error( int ev, const error_category & ecat,
+        const char * what_arg )
+          : std::runtime_error(what_arg), m_error_code(ev,ecat) {}
+
+      virtual ~system_error() throw() {}
+
+      const error_code &  code() const throw() { return m_error_code; }
+      const char *        what() const throw();
+
+    private:
+      error_code           m_error_code;
+      mutable std::string  m_what;
+    };
+
+    //  implementation  ------------------------------------------------------//
+
+    inline const char * system_error::what() const throw()
+    // see http://www.boost.org/more/error_handling.html for lazy build rationale
+    {
+      if ( m_what.empty() )
+      {
+#ifndef NDNBOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
+        try
+#endif
+        {
+          m_what = this->std::runtime_error::what();
+          if ( !m_what.empty() ) m_what += ": ";
+          m_what += m_error_code.message();
+        }
+#ifndef NDNBOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
+        catch (...) { return std::runtime_error::what(); }
+#endif
+      }
+      return m_what.c_str();
+    }
+
+  } // namespace system
+} // namespace ndnboost
+
+#endif // NDNBOOST_SYSTEM_ERROR_HPP
+
+