diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/messaging/MessagingException.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/messaging/MessagingException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e71ac10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/cluster/messaging/MessagingException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2016 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.store.cluster.messaging;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+/**
+ * Top level exception for MessagingService failures.
+ */
+@SuppressWarnings("serial")
+public class MessagingException extends IOException {
+
+    public MessagingException() {
+    }
+
+    public MessagingException(String message) {
+        super(message);
+    }
+
+    public MessagingException(String message, Throwable t) {
+        super(message, t);
+    }
+
+    public MessagingException(Throwable t) {
+        super(t);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Exception indicating no remote registered remote handler.
+     */
+    public static class NoRemoteHandler extends MessagingException {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Exception indicating handler failure.
+     */
+    public static class RemoteHandlerFailure extends MessagingException {
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file