diff --git a/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py b/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
index bc168b8c..3cf949a7 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import logging
 import sleekxmpp
 from sleekxmpp import plugins
 
-from sleekxmpp.stanza import Message, Presence, Iq, Error
+from sleekxmpp.stanza import Message, Presence, Iq, Error, StreamError
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.roster import Roster
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.nick import Nick
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.htmlim import HTMLIM
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ class BaseXMPP(XMLStream):
             Callback('Presence',
                      MatchXPath("{%s}presence" % self.default_ns),
                      self._handle_presence))
+        self.register_handler(
+            Callback('Stream Error',
+                     MatchXPath("{%s}error" % self.stream_ns),
+                     self._handle_stream_error))
 
         self.add_event_handler('presence_subscribe',
                                self._handle_subscribe)
@@ -135,9 +139,10 @@ class BaseXMPP(XMLStream):
                                self._handle_disconnected)
 
         # Set up the XML stream with XMPP's root stanzas.
-        self.registerStanza(Message)
-        self.registerStanza(Iq)
-        self.registerStanza(Presence)
+        self.register_stanza(Message)
+        self.register_stanza(Iq)
+        self.register_stanza(Presence)
+        self.register_stanza(StreamError)
 
         # Initialize a few default stanza plugins.
         register_stanza_plugin(Iq, Roster)
@@ -579,6 +584,9 @@ class BaseXMPP(XMLStream):
         """When disconnected, reset the roster"""
         self.roster = {}
 
+    def _handle_stream_error(self, error):
+        self.event('stream_error', error)
+
     def _handle_message(self, msg):
         """Process incoming message stanzas."""
         self.event('message', msg)
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/stanza/__init__.py b/sleekxmpp/stanza/__init__.py
index 8302c43d..dbf7b86f 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/stanza/__init__.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/stanza/__init__.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.error import Error
+from sleekxmpp.stanza.stream_error import StreamError
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.iq import Iq
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.message import Message
 from sleekxmpp.stanza.presence import Presence
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/stanza/iq.py b/sleekxmpp/stanza/iq.py
index 6388346c..c6aa64d0 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/stanza/iq.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/stanza/iq.py
@@ -224,4 +224,3 @@ class Iq(RootStanza):
         else:
             StanzaBase._set_stanza_values(self, values)
         return self
-
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/stanza/stream_error.py b/sleekxmpp/stanza/stream_error.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dd0c119d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sleekxmpp/stanza/stream_error.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+"""
+    SleekXMPP: The Sleek XMPP Library
+    Copyright (C) 2010  Nathanael C. Fritz
+    This file is part of SleekXMPP.
+
+    See the file LICENSE for copying permission.
+"""
+
+from sleekxmpp.stanza.error import Error
+from sleekxmpp.xmlstream import ElementBase, ET, register_stanza_plugin
+
+
+class StreamError(Error):
+
+    """
+    XMPP stanzas of type 'error' should include an <error> stanza that
+    describes the nature of the error and how it should be handled.
+
+    Use the 'XEP-0086: Error Condition Mappings' plugin to include error
+    codes used in older XMPP versions.
+
+    The stream:error stanza is used to provide more information for
+    error that occur with the underlying XML stream itself, and not
+    a particular stanza.
+
+    Note: The StreamError stanza is the same as the normal Error stanza,
+          but with a different namespace.
+
+    Example error stanza:
+        <error type="cancel" code="404">
+          <item-not-found xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas" />
+          <text xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas">
+            The item was not found.
+          </text>
+        </error>
+
+    Stanza Interface:
+        code      -- The error code used in older XMPP versions.
+        condition -- The name of the condition element.
+        text      -- Human readable description of the error.
+        type      -- Error type indicating how the error should be handled.
+
+    Attributes:
+        conditions   -- The set of allowable error condition elements.
+        condition_ns -- The namespace for the condition element.
+        types        -- A set of values indicating how the error
+                        should be treated.
+
+    Methods:
+        setup         -- Overrides ElementBase.setup.
+        get_condition -- Retrieve the name of the condition element.
+        set_condition -- Add a condition element.
+        del_condition -- Remove the condition element.
+        get_text      -- Retrieve the contents of the <text> element.
+        set_text      -- Set the contents of the <text> element.
+        del_text      -- Remove the <text> element.
+    """
+
+    namespace = 'http://etherx.jabber.org/streams'