diff --git a/gabbi/case.py b/gabbi/case.py
index 570a272..d623e79 100644
--- a/gabbi/case.py
+++ b/gabbi/case.py
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ import os
 import re
 import sys
 
+import wsgi_intercept
 import jsonpath_rw
+import six
 from six.moves.urllib import parse as urlparse
 from testtools import testcase
 
@@ -243,14 +245,24 @@ class HTTPTestCase(testcase.TestCase):
                       self._json_replacer, message)
 
     def _run_request(self, url, method, headers, body):
-        """Run the http request and decode output."""
+        """Run the http request and decode output.
 
-        response, content = self.http.request(
-            url,
-            method=method,
-            headers=headers,
-            body=body
-        )
+        The call to make the request will catch a WSGIAppError from
+        wsgi_intercept so that the real traceback from a catastrophic
+        error in the intercepted app can be examined.
+        """
+
+        try:
+            response, content = self.http.request(
+                url,
+                method=method,
+                headers=headers,
+                body=body
+            )
+        except wsgi_intercept.WSGIAppError as exc:
+            # Extract and re-raise the wrapped exception.
+            six.reraise(exc.exception_type, exc.exception_value,
+                        exc.traceback)
 
         # Set headers and location attributes for follow on requests
         self.response = response
diff --git a/gabbi/gabbits_intercept/self.yaml b/gabbi/gabbits_intercept/self.yaml
index b996be2..83b085a 100644
--- a/gabbi/gabbits_intercept/self.yaml
+++ b/gabbi/gabbits_intercept/self.yaml
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ tests:
 
 - name: bogus method
   url: /
-  method: DIE
+  method: UNREAL
   status: 405
   response_headers:
       allow: GET, PUT, POST, DELETE, PATCH
-      x-gabbi-method: DIE
+      x-gabbi-method: UNREAL
       x-gabbi-url: $SCHEME://$NETLOC/
 
 - name: query returned
@@ -105,3 +105,9 @@ tests:
   xfail: true
   response_test:
       - 'CO"alpha": ["1"]'
+
+- name: test exception wrapper
+  desc: simple wsgi will raise exception
+  url: /
+  xfail: true
+  method: DIE
diff --git a/gabbi/simple_wsgi.py b/gabbi/simple_wsgi.py
index 18b1a6d..8d15c81 100644
--- a/gabbi/simple_wsgi.py
+++ b/gabbi/simple_wsgi.py
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ class SimpleWsgi(object):
             ('X-Gabbi-url', request_url),
         ]
 
+        if request_method == 'DIE':
+            raise Exception('because you asked me to')
+
         if request_method not in METHODS:
             headers.append(
                 ('Allow', ', '.join(METHODS)))
diff --git a/test-failskip.sh b/test-failskip.sh
index 373c9e2..6f2daf7 100755
--- a/test-failskip.sh
+++ b/test-failskip.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Run the tests and confirm that the stuff we expect to skip or fail
 # does.
 
-GREP_FAIL_MATCH='expected failures=3'
+GREP_FAIL_MATCH='expected failures=4'
 GREP_SKIP_MATCH='skips=2'
 
 python setup.py testr && \