diff --git a/chronos/__init__.py b/chronos/__init__.py
index 78be996..b8099cc 100755
--- a/chronos/__init__.py
+++ b/chronos/__init__.py
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ class ChronosAPIError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+class UnauthorizedError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class MissingFieldError(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -132,7 +136,7 @@ def _call(self, url, method="GET", body=None, headers={}):
                 response = self._check(*conn.request(endpoint, method, body=body, headers=hdrs))
                 self.logger.info('Got response from %s', endpoint)
                 return response
-            except Exception as e:
+            except ChronosAPIError as e:
                 self.logger.error('Error while calling %s: %s', endpoint, e.message)
 
         raise ChronosAPIError('No remaining Chronos servers to try')
@@ -141,6 +145,10 @@ def _check(self, resp, content):
         status = resp.status
         self.logger.debug("status: %d" % status)
         payload = None
+
+        if status == 401:
+            raise UnauthorizedError()
+
         if content:
             try:
                 payload = json.loads(content)
diff --git a/tests/test_chronos_init.py b/tests/test_chronos_init.py
index 781e243..f00d612 100644
--- a/tests/test_chronos_init.py
+++ b/tests/test_chronos_init.py
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ def test_check_accepts_json():
 def test_check_returns_raw_response_when_not_json():
     client = chronos.ChronosClient("localhost")
     fake_response = mock.Mock()
-    fake_response.status = 401
-    fake_content = 'UNAUTHORIZED'
+    fake_response.status = 400
+    fake_content = 'foo bar baz'
     actual = client._check(fake_response, fake_content)
     assert actual == fake_content
 
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ def test_check_one_of_all():
         client._check_fields(job)
 
 
+def test_check_unauthorized_raises():
+    client = chronos.ChronosClient(servers="localhost")
+    mock_response = mock.Mock()
+    mock_response.status = 401
+    with pytest.raises(chronos.UnauthorizedError):
+        client._check(mock_response, '{"foo": "bar"}')
+
+
 @mock.patch('chronos.ChronosJob')
 def test_check_one_of_ok(patch_chronos_job):
     patch_chronos_job.one_of = ['foo', 'bar']