diff --git a/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/framework/Felix.java b/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/framework/Felix.java
index 4df73c6..b6af4b6 100644
--- a/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/framework/Felix.java
+++ b/framework/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/framework/Felix.java
@@ -1940,7 +1940,7 @@
                     "Cannot start bundle " + bundle + " because its start level is "
                     + bundleLevel
                     + ", which is greater than the framework's start level of "
-                    + m_activeStartLevel + ".");
+                    + m_activeStartLevel + ".", BundleException.START_TRANSIENT_ERROR);
             }
             else if (bundleLevel > m_targetStartLevel)
             {
@@ -1969,7 +1969,7 @@
                             "Cannot start bundle " + bundle + " because its start level is "
                             + bundleLevel
                             + ", which is greater than the framework's start level of "
-                            + m_activeStartLevel + ".");
+                            + m_activeStartLevel + ".", BundleException.START_TRANSIENT_ERROR);
                     }
 
                     // If the start level bundle queue is not empty, then we know
diff --git a/framework/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/framework/StartBundleTest.java b/framework/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/framework/StartBundleTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e201b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/framework/src/test/java/org/apache/felix/framework/StartBundleTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+package org.apache.felix.framework;
+
+import java.util.HashMap;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+import org.apache.felix.framework.util.FelixConstants;
+import org.mockito.Mockito;
+import org.osgi.framework.Bundle;
+import org.osgi.framework.BundleException;
+import org.osgi.framework.wiring.BundleRevision;
+
+public class StartBundleTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public void testTransientExeption() throws Exception
+    {
+        HashMap<String, String> config = new HashMap<String, String>();
+        config.put(FelixConstants.BUNDLE_STARTLEVEL_PROP, "1");
+        final Felix f = new Felix(config);
+
+        BundleImpl b = Mockito.mock(BundleImpl.class);
+        Mockito.when(b.isLockable()).thenReturn(true);
+        Mockito.when(b.getState()).thenReturn(Bundle.INSTALLED);
+        Mockito.when(b.getStartLevel(1)).thenReturn(3);
+
+        BundleRevisionImpl br = new BundleRevisionImpl(b, "test");
+        Mockito.when(b.adapt(BundleRevision.class)).thenReturn(br);
+
+        try
+        {
+            f.startBundle(b, Bundle.START_TRANSIENT);
+            fail("Should have thrown a Bundle Exception");
+        }
+        catch (BundleException e)
+        {
+            assertEquals(BundleException.START_TRANSIENT_ERROR, e.getType());
+        }
+    }
+}