diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/behaviour/protection/ProtectionException.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/behaviour/protection/ProtectionException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10a4d06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/behaviour/protection/ProtectionException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016-present Open Networking Laboratory
+ *
+ * Licensed 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.onosproject.net.behaviour.protection;
+
+
+
+/**
+ * Base class for Protection related Exceptions.
+ */
+public abstract class ProtectionException extends Exception {
+
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 5230741971525527020L;
+
+    /**
+     * Exception thrown when specified configuration was invalid.
+     */
+    public static class InvalidConfigException extends ProtectionException {
+
+        private static final long serialVersionUID = 6532157856911418461L;
+
+        /**
+         * {@link InvalidConfigException}.
+         */
+        public InvalidConfigException() {
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * {@link InvalidConfigException}.
+         *
+         * @param message describing error
+         */
+        public InvalidConfigException(String message) {
+            super(message);
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * {@link InvalidConfigException}.
+         *
+         * @param cause of this Exception
+         */
+        public InvalidConfigException(Throwable cause) {
+            super(cause);
+        }
+
+        /**
+         * {@link InvalidConfigException}.
+         *
+         * @param message describing error
+         * @param cause of this Exception
+         */
+        public InvalidConfigException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+            super(message, cause);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Default constructor.
+     */
+    protected ProtectionException() {}
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an exception.
+     * @param message describing error
+     */
+    protected ProtectionException(String message) {
+        super(message);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an exception.
+     * @param cause of this Exception
+     */
+    protected ProtectionException(Throwable cause) {
+        super(cause);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an exception.
+     * @param message describing error
+     * @param cause of this Exception
+     */
+    protected ProtectionException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+        super(message, cause);
+    }
+
+}