diff --git a/common/exceptions.hh b/common/exceptions.hh
index f42b740cdf346008c7aaa1fc5e434624de2ae9b6..910469a772f51d7b746a3060fda134f8b105d5e3 100644
--- a/common/exceptions.hh
+++ b/common/exceptions.hh
@@ -159,6 +159,14 @@ namespace Dune {
    */
   class RangeError : public Exception {};
 
+  /*! default exception class for OS errors
+
+     This class is thrown when a system-call is used and returns an
+     error.
+
+   */
+  class SystemError : public Exception {};
+
 } // end namespace
 
 #endif