diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 44feaee83..b30344bfe 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ serve the queries.
         url(r'^graphql$', GraphQLView.as_view(graphiql=True)),
     ]
 
+    handler500 = 'graphene_django.views.server_error'
+
 Examples
 --------
 
diff --git a/graphene_django/tests/test_views.py b/graphene_django/tests/test_views.py
index db6cc4e80..a85e3b3f2 100644
--- a/graphene_django/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/graphene_django/tests/test_views.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import json
 
 import pytest
+from mock import patch
+import django.http
 
 try:
     from urllib import urlencode
@@ -558,3 +560,15 @@ def test_passes_request_into_context_request(client):
 
     assert response.status_code == 200
     assert response_json(response) == {"data": {"request": "testing"}}
+
+
+def test_response_500(client):
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError), patch('graphql.backend.core.execute_and_validate', side_effect=RuntimeError):
+        response = client.get(url_string(query="{request}", q="testing"))
+
+
+def test_response_500_handler(client):
+    import graphene_django.views
+    response = graphene_django.views.server_error(django.http.HttpRequest())
+    assert response.status_code == 500
+    assert response_json(response) == {"errors": ["server error"]}
diff --git a/graphene_django/tests/urls.py b/graphene_django/tests/urls.py
index 66b3fc4d2..30286375a 100644
--- a/graphene_django/tests/urls.py
+++ b/graphene_django/tests/urls.py
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@
     url(r"^graphql/batch", GraphQLView.as_view(batch=True)),
     url(r"^graphql", GraphQLView.as_view(graphiql=True)),
 ]
+
+handler500 = 'graphene_django.views.server_error'
diff --git a/graphene_django/views.py b/graphene_django/views.py
index aefe1147a..5551cbf46 100644
--- a/graphene_django/views.py
+++ b/graphene_django/views.py
@@ -4,15 +4,15 @@
 
 import six
 from django.http import HttpResponse, HttpResponseNotAllowed
-from django.http.response import HttpResponseBadRequest
+from django.http.response import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseServerError
 from django.shortcuts import render
 from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
 from django.views.generic import View
-from django.views.decorators.csrf import ensure_csrf_cookie
+from django.views.decorators.csrf import ensure_csrf_cookie, requires_csrf_token
 
 from graphql import get_default_backend
 from graphql.error import format_error as format_graphql_error
-from graphql.error import GraphQLError
+from graphql.error import GraphQLError, GraphQLSyntaxError
 from graphql.execution import ExecutionResult
 from graphql.type.schema import GraphQLSchema
 
@@ -245,10 +245,10 @@ def execute_graphql_request(
                 return None
             raise HttpError(HttpResponseBadRequest("Must provide query string."))
 
+        backend = self.get_backend(request)
         try:
-            backend = self.get_backend(request)
             document = backend.document_from_string(self.schema, query)
-        except Exception as e:
+        except GraphQLSyntaxError as e:
             return ExecutionResult(errors=[e], invalid=True)
 
         if request.method.lower() == "get":
@@ -266,13 +266,13 @@ def execute_graphql_request(
                     )
                 )
 
-        try:
-            extra_options = {}
-            if self.executor:
-                # We only include it optionally since
-                # executor is not a valid argument in all backends
-                extra_options["executor"] = self.executor
+        extra_options = {}
+        if self.executor:
+            # We only include it optionally since
+            # executor is not a valid argument in all backends
+            extra_options["executor"] = self.executor
 
+        try:
             return document.execute(
                 root=self.get_root_value(request),
                 variables=variables,
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ def execute_graphql_request(
                 middleware=self.get_middleware(request),
                 **extra_options
             )
-        except Exception as e:
+        except GraphQLError as e:
             return ExecutionResult(errors=[e], invalid=True)
 
     @classmethod
@@ -338,3 +338,8 @@ def get_content_type(request):
         meta = request.META
         content_type = meta.get("CONTENT_TYPE", meta.get("HTTP_CONTENT_TYPE", ""))
         return content_type.split(";", 1)[0].lower()
+
+
+@requires_csrf_token
+def server_error(request, template_name=None):
+    return HttpResponseServerError('{"errors":["server error"]}', content_type='application/json')