diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index b0db7beada..114808e497 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ source "http://rubygems.org"
 gem "cucumber"
 gem "rake"
 gem "osmlib-base"
-gem "sys-proctable"
\ No newline at end of file
+gem "sys-proctable"
+gem "rspec-expectations"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index d4bff7b413..32a3fdada1 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ GEM
     json (1.6.5)
     osmlib-base (0.1.4)
     rake (0.9.2.2)
+    rspec-expectations (2.11.3)
+      diff-lcs (~> 1.1.3)
     sys-proctable (0.9.1)
     term-ansicolor (1.0.7)
 
@@ -24,4 +26,5 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   cucumber
   osmlib-base
   rake
+  rspec-expectations
   sys-proctable
diff --git a/features/bad.feature b/features/bad.feature
index 11c767484b..af1f46c652 100644
--- a/features/bad.feature
+++ b/features/bad.feature
@@ -3,14 +3,25 @@ Feature: Handle bad data in a graceful manner
 	
 	Scenario: Empty dataset
 		Given the node map
-		 | a | b |
+		 |  |
 
 		Given the ways
 		 | nodes |
 		
-		When I route I should get
-		 | from | to | route |
-		 | a    | b  |       |
+		When I preprocess data
+		Then preparing should return code 255
+
+	Scenario: Only dead-end oneways
+		Given the node map
+		 | a | b | c |
+
+		Given the ways
+		 | nodes | oneway |
+		 | ab    | yes    |
+		 | cb    | yes    |
+
+		When I preprocess data
+		Then preparing should return code 255
 
 	Scenario: Start/end point at the same location
 		Given the node map
@@ -29,7 +40,7 @@ Feature: Handle bad data in a graceful manner
 		 | 2    | 2  |       |
 
 	@poles
-	Scenario: No routing close to the north/south pole
+	Scenario: Routing close to the north/south pole
 	Mercator is undefined close to the poles.
 	All nodes and request with latitude to close to either of the poles should therefore be ignored.
 
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/errors.rb b/features/step_definitions/errors.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..554e078576
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/step_definitions/errors.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+When /^I preprocess data$/ do
+  begin
+    osrm_kill
+    reprocess
+  rescue OSRMError => e
+    @process_error = e
+  end
+end
+
+Then /^preparing should return code (\d+)$/ do |code|
+  @process_error.class.should == OSRMError
+  @process_error.process.should == 'osrm-prepare'
+  @process_error.code.to_i.should == code.to_i
+end
diff --git a/features/support/data.rb b/features/support/data.rb
index 11ea59022e..320cd45000 100644
--- a/features/support/data.rb
+++ b/features/support/data.rb
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ def reprocess
       log "== Extracting #{@osm_file}.osm...", :preprocess
       unless system "../osrm-extract #{@osm_file}.osm.pbf 1>>#{PREPROCESS_LOG_FILE} 2>>#{PREPROCESS_LOG_FILE}"
         log "*** Exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}.", :preprocess
-        raise "*** osrm-extract exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}. The file preprocess.log might contain more info." 
+        raise OSRMError.new 'osrm-extract', $?.exitstatus, "*** osrm-extract exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}. The file preprocess.log might contain more info." 
       end
       log '', :preprocess
     end
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ def reprocess
       log "== Preparing #{@osm_file}.osm...", :preprocess
       unless system "../osrm-prepare #{@osm_file}.osrm #{@osm_file}.osrm.restrictions 1>>#{PREPROCESS_LOG_FILE} 2>>#{PREPROCESS_LOG_FILE}"
         log "*** Exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}.", :preprocess
-        raise "*** osrm-prepare exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}. The file preprocess.log might contain more info." 
+        raise OSRMError.new 'osrm-prepare', $?.exitstatus, "*** osrm-prepare exited with code #{$?.exitstatus}. The file preprocess.log might contain more info." 
       end 
       log '', :preprocess
     end
@@ -193,4 +193,3 @@ def reprocess
     write_server_ini
   end
 end
-
diff --git a/features/support/env.rb b/features/support/env.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9fb7ec8d1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/support/env.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require 'rspec/expectations'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/features/support/exceptions.rb b/features/support/exceptions.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75cda9ba77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/support/exceptions.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+class OSRMError < StandardError
+  attr_accessor :process, :code, :msg
+  
+  def initialize process, code, msg
+    @process = process
+    @code = code
+    @msg = msg
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file