diff --git a/lalinference/python/lalinference/io/events/detector_disabled.py b/lalinference/python/lalinference/io/events/detector_disabled.py
index e2eec20afde4fdfd6079782e4347bd4bae680dc5..b3a87fd577d1836b75dd88b43738b9db9fa47ee2 100644
--- a/lalinference/python/lalinference/io/events/detector_disabled.py
+++ b/lalinference/python/lalinference/io/events/detector_disabled.py
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ Modify events by artificially disabling specified detectors.
 """
 from .base import *
 
-__all__ = ('DetectorDisabledEventSource',)
+__all__ = ('DetectorDisabledEventSource', 'DetectorDisabledError')
+
+
+class DetectorDisabledError(ValueError):
+    pass
 
 
 class DetectorDisabledEventSource(EventSource):
@@ -51,13 +55,13 @@ class DetectorDisabledEvent(Event):
         if self.source.raises:
             detectors = {s.detector for s in self.base_event.singles}
             if not detectors & disabled_detectors:
-                raise ValueError(
+                raise DetectorDisabledError(
                     'Disabling detectors {{{}}} would have no effect on this '
                     'event with detectors {{{}}}'.format(
                         ' '.join(disabled_detectors),
                         ' '.join(detectors)))
             if not detectors - disabled_detectors:
-                raise ValueError(
+                raise DetectorDisabledError(
                     'Disabling detectors {{{}}} would exclude all data for '
                     'this event with detectors {{{}}}'.format(
                         ' '.join(disabled_detectors),
diff --git a/lalinference/test/test_io_events.py b/lalinference/test/test_io_events.py
index b74a4e3193ea6fac8cf3ec64cfb7b0afb8bb3cdb..c48deaa880341cb3b213272ed62aaa950feee25e 100644
--- a/lalinference/test/test_io_events.py
+++ b/lalinference/test/test_io_events.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def test_detector_disabled():
     for event in nonraising_source.values():
         event.singles
     for event in raising_source.values():
-        with raises(ValueError, expected_message):
+        with raises(events.DetectorDisabledError, expected_message):
             event.singles
 
     # Now test that exceptions are raised when they are called for.
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ def test_detector_disabled():
     for event in nonraising_source.values():
         event.singles
     for event in raising_source.values():
-        with raises(ValueError, expected_message):
+        with raises(events.DetectorDisabledError, expected_message):
             event.singles
 
 def test_hdf(tmpdir):