diff --git a/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py b/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
index 61aaeff..02f775a 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ import copy
 import logging
 
 import sleekxmpp
-from sleekxmpp import plugins
+from sleekxmpp import plugins, roster
+from sleekxmpp.exceptions import IqError, IqTimeout
 
-import sleekxmpp.roster as roster
 from sleekxmpp.stanza import Message, Presence, Iq, Error, StreamError
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.roster import Roster
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.nick import Nick
@@ -743,6 +743,29 @@ class BaseXMPP(XMLStream):
 
         self.event("changed_status", presence)
 
+    def exception(self, exception):
+        """
+        Process any uncaught exceptions, notably IqError and
+        IqTimeout exceptions.
+
+        Overrides XMLStream.exception.
+
+        Arguments:
+            exception -- An unhandled exception object.
+        """
+        if isinstance(exception, IqError):
+            iq = exception.iq
+            log.error('%s: %s' % (iq['error']['condition'],
+                                  iq['error']['text']))
+            log.warning('You should catch IqError exceptions')
+        elif isinstance(exception, IqTimeout):
+            iq = exception.iq
+            log.error('Request timed out: %s' % iq)
+            log.warning('You should catch IqTimeout exceptions')
+        else:
+            log.exception(exception)
+
+
 # Restore the old, lowercased name for backwards compatibility.
 basexmpp = BaseXMPP
 
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/exceptions.py b/sleekxmpp/exceptions.py
index 49d0f94..61d24f6 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/exceptions.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/exceptions.py
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ class XMPPError(Exception):
     Meant for use in SleekXMPP plugins and applications using SleekXMPP.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, condition='undefined-condition', text=None, etype=None,
-                 extension=None, extension_ns=None, extension_args=None,
-                 clear=True):
+    def __init__(self, condition='undefined-condition', text=None,
+                etype='cancel', extension=None, extension_ns=None,
+                extension_args=None, clear=True):
         """
         Create a new XMPPError exception.
 
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ class XMPPError(Exception):
 
         Arguments:
             condition      -- The XMPP defined error condition.
+                              Defaults to 'undefined-condition'.
             text           -- Human readable text describing the error.
             etype          -- The XMPP error type, such as cancel or modify.
+                              Defaults to 'cancel'.
             extension      -- Tag name of the extension's XML content.
             extension_ns   -- XML namespace of the extensions' XML content.
             extension_args -- Content and attributes for the extension
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ class XMPPError(Exception):
         self.extension_args = extension_args
 
 
-class IqTimeout(Exception):
+class IqTimeout(XMPPError):
 
     """
     An exception which indicates that an IQ request response has not been
@@ -62,10 +64,13 @@ class IqTimeout(Exception):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, iq):
+        super(IqTimeout, self).__init__(
+                condition='remote-server-timeout',
+                etype='cancel')
+
         self.iq = iq
 
-
-class IqError(Exception):
+class IqError(XMPPError):
 
     """
     An exception raised when an Iq stanza of type 'error' is received
@@ -73,4 +78,9 @@ class IqError(Exception):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, iq):
+        super(IqError, self).__init__(
+                condition=iq['error']['condition'],
+                text=iq['error']['text'],
+                etype=iq['error']['type'])
+
         self.iq = iq
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/stanza/rootstanza.py b/sleekxmpp/stanza/rootstanza.py
index 9e1d1cf..470a122 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/stanza/rootstanza.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/stanza/rootstanza.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import logging
 import traceback
 import sys
 
-from sleekxmpp.exceptions import XMPPError
+from sleekxmpp.exceptions import XMPPError, IqError, IqTimeout
 from sleekxmpp.stanza import Error
 from sleekxmpp.xmlstream import ET, StanzaBase, register_stanza_plugin
 
@@ -43,23 +43,41 @@ class RootStanza(StanzaBase):
         Arguments:
             e -- Exception object
         """
-        if isinstance(e, XMPPError):
-            self.reply(clear=e.clear)
+        if isinstance(e, IqError):
+            # We received an Iq error reply, but it wasn't caught
+            # locally. Using the condition/text from that error
+            # response could leak too much information, so we'll
+            # only use a generic error here.
+            self.reply()
+            self['error']['condition'] = 'undefined-condition'
+            self['error']['text'] = 'External error'
+            self['error']['type'] = 'cancel'
+            log.warning('You should catch IqError exceptions')
+            self.send()
+        elif isinstance(e, IqTimeout):
+            self.reply()
+            self['error']['condition'] = 'remote-server-timeout'
+            self['error']['type'] = 'wait'
+            log.warning('You should catch IqTimeout exceptions')
+            self.send()
+        elif isinstance(e, XMPPError):
             # We raised this deliberately
+            self.reply(clear=e.clear)
             self['error']['condition'] = e.condition
             self['error']['text'] = e.text
+            self['error']['type'] = e.etype
             if e.extension is not None:
                 # Extended error tag
                 extxml = ET.Element("{%s}%s" % (e.extension_ns, e.extension),
                                     e.extension_args)
                 self['error'].append(extxml)
-                self['error']['type'] = e.etype
             self.send()
         else:
-            self.reply()
             # We probably didn't raise this on purpose, so send an error stanza
+            self.reply()
             self['error']['condition'] = 'undefined-condition'
             self['error']['text'] = "SleekXMPP got into trouble."
+            self['error']['type'] = 'cancel'
             self.send()
             # log the error
             log.exception('Error handling {%s}%s stanza' %