diff --git a/elasticsearch/exceptions.py b/elasticsearch/exceptions.py
index be45fb10..8db34719 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/exceptions.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/exceptions.py
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-__all__ = ['ImproperlyConfigured', 'ElasticsearchException', 'SerializationError', 'TransportError', 'NotFoundError']
+__all__ = [
+    'ImproperlyConfigured', 'ElasticsearchException', 'SerializationError',
+    'TransportError', 'NotFoundError', 'ConflictError', 'RequestError'
+]
 
 class ImproperlyConfigured(Exception):
     pass
@@ -43,7 +46,16 @@ class NotFoundError(TransportError):
     pass
 
 
+class ConflictError(TransportError):
+    pass
+
+
+class RequestError(TransportError):
+    pass
+
 # more generic mappings from status_code to python exceptions
 HTTP_EXCEPTIONS = {
+    400: RequestError,
     404: NotFoundError,
+    409: ConflictError,
 }
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py
index 7c55f07c..e63bd4fb 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_connection.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import re
 from mock import Mock, patch
 import urllib3
 
-from elasticsearch.exceptions import TransportError
+from elasticsearch.exceptions import TransportError, ConflictError, RequestError, NotFoundError
 from elasticsearch.connection import RequestsHttpConnection, \
     Urllib3HttpConnection, THRIFT_AVAILABLE, ThriftConnection
 
@@ -96,6 +96,18 @@ class TestRequestsConnection(TestCase):
         con = self._get_mock_connection({"host": "elasticsearch.com", "port": 443})
         self.assertEquals('<RequestsHttpConnection: http://elasticsearch.com:443>', repr(con))
 
+    def test_conflict_error_is_returned_on_409(self):
+        con = self._get_mock_connection(status_code=409)
+        self.assertRaises(ConflictError, con.perform_request, 'GET', '/', {}, '')
+
+    def test_not_found_error_is_returned_on_404(self):
+        con = self._get_mock_connection(status_code=404)
+        self.assertRaises(NotFoundError, con.perform_request, 'GET', '/', {}, '')
+
+    def test_request_error_is_returned_on_400(self):
+        con = self._get_mock_connection(status_code=400)
+        self.assertRaises(RequestError, con.perform_request, 'GET', '/', {}, '')
+
     @patch('elasticsearch.connection.base.tracer')
     @patch('elasticsearch.connection.base.logger')
     def test_failed_request_logs_and_traces(self, logger, tracer):
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
index 3daebb1d..a9c89899 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_server/test_common.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ from os import walk, environ
 from os.path import exists, join, dirname, pardir
 import yaml
 
+from elasticsearch import TransportError
+
 from ..test_cases import SkipTest
 from . import ElasticTestCase
 
@@ -14,11 +16,16 @@ from . import ElasticTestCase
 # those in the tests accordingly
 PARAMS_RENAMES = {
     'type': 'doc_type',
-    'from': 'offset',
+    'from': 'from_',
 }
 
 ES_VERSION = None
 
+# mapping from catch values to http status codes
+CATCH_CODES = {
+    'missing': 404,
+    'conflict': 409,
+}
 
 class InvalidActionType(Exception):
     pass
@@ -105,10 +112,10 @@ class YamlTestCase(ElasticTestCase):
 
         try:
             self.last_response = api(**args)
-        except:
+        except Exception as e:
             if not catch:
                 raise
-            self.run_catch(catch)
+            self.run_catch(catch, e)
         else:
             if catch:
                 raise AssertionError('Failed to catch %r in %r.' % (catch, self.last_response))
@@ -122,8 +129,10 @@ class YamlTestCase(ElasticTestCase):
             raise SkipTest(reason)
 
 
-    def run_catch(self, catch):
-        pass
+    def run_catch(self, catch, exception):
+        self.assertIsInstance(exception, TransportError)
+        if catch in CATCH_CODES:
+            self.assertEquals(CATCH_CODES[catch], exception.status_code)
 
     def run_gt(self, action):
         for key, value in action.items():