diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 0011b2f4..d495bf80 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@ task :default => :test
 
 Rake::TestTask.new do |t|
   ENV['SINATRA_ENV'] = 'test'
-  t.pattern = "test/*_test.rb"
+  t.pattern = File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/test/*_test.rb"
 end
diff --git a/lib/sinatra.rb b/lib/sinatra.rb
index e0919d9c..fd45ab88 100644
--- a/lib/sinatra.rb
+++ b/lib/sinatra.rb
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ end
 module Sinatra
   extend self
 
+  class NotFound < RuntimeError; end
+  class ServerError < RuntimeError; end
+
   Result = Struct.new(:block, :params, :status) unless defined?(Result)
   
   def application
@@ -483,7 +486,7 @@ module Sinatra
       method = env['REQUEST_METHOD'].downcase.to_sym
       e = static.invoke(env) 
       e ||= events[method].eject(&[:invoke, env])
-      e ||= (errors[404] || basic_not_found).invoke(env)
+      e ||= (errors[NotFound] || basic_not_found).invoke(env)
       e
     end
     
@@ -533,7 +536,7 @@ module Sinatra
         raise e if options.raise_errors
         env['sinatra.error'] = e
         context.status(500)
-        result = (errors[e.class] || errors[500] || basic_error).invoke(env)
+        result = (errors[e.class] || errors[ServerError] || basic_error).invoke(env)
         returned = catch(:halt) do
           [:complete, context.instance_eval(&result.block)]
         end
@@ -572,8 +575,8 @@ def helpers(&b)
   Sinatra::EventContext.class_eval(&b)
 end
 
-def error(code, options = {}, &b)
-  Sinatra.application.define_error(code, options, &b)
+def error(type = Sinatra::ServerError, options = {}, &b)
+  Sinatra.application.define_error(type, options, &b)
 end
 
 def layout(name = :layout, &b)
diff --git a/test/custom_error_test.rb b/test/custom_error_test.rb
index 0ba391a7..93e46d70 100644
--- a/test/custom_error_test.rb
+++ b/test/custom_error_test.rb
@@ -3,20 +3,16 @@ require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/helper'
 context "Custom Errors (in general)" do
 
   setup do
-    Sinatra.application.options.raise_errors = false
+    Sinatra.application = nil
   end
   
-  teardown do
-    Sinatra.application.options.raise_errors = true
-  end
-
   specify "override the default 404" do
     
     get_it '/'
     should.be.not_found
     body.should.equal '<h1>Not Found</h1>'
     
-    error 404 do
+    error Sinatra::NotFound do
       'Custom 404'
     end
     
@@ -27,6 +23,7 @@ context "Custom Errors (in general)" do
   end
   
   specify "override the default 500" do
+    Sinatra.application.options.raise_errors = false
     
     get '/' do
       raise 'asdf'
@@ -37,7 +34,7 @@ context "Custom Errors (in general)" do
     body.should.equal '<h1>Internal Server Error</h1>'
     
     
-    error 500 do
+    error do
       'Custom 500 for ' + request.env['sinatra.error'].message
     end
     
@@ -47,6 +44,7 @@ context "Custom Errors (in general)" do
     status.should.equal 500
     body.should.equal 'Custom 500 for asdf'
     
+    Sinatra.application.options.raise_errors = true
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/test/mapped_error_test.rb b/test/mapped_error_test.rb
index 09c24e0e..15c00ff6 100644
--- a/test/mapped_error_test.rb
+++ b/test/mapped_error_test.rb
@@ -4,11 +4,15 @@ class FooError < RuntimeError; end
 
 context "Mapped errors" do
   
-  before(:each) do
+  setup do
     Sinatra.application = nil
     Sinatra.application.options.raise_errors = false
   end
   
+  teardown do
+    Sinatra.application.options.raise_errors = true
+  end
+  
   
   specify "are rescued and run in context" do