diff --git a/skytap/Exports.py b/skytap/Exports.py
index 12e1080..ee31116 100644
--- a/skytap/Exports.py
+++ b/skytap/Exports.py
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@
 return a list of current Exports from Skytap in a JSON format.
 """
 import sys
+import json
 
+from skytap.framework.ApiClient import ApiClient
+import skytap.framework.Utils as Utils
 from skytap.models.SkytapGroup import SkytapGroup
 from skytap.models.Export import Export
 
@@ -25,6 +28,37 @@ def __init__(self):
         super(Exports, self).__init__()
         self.load_list_from_api('/v2/exports', Export)
 
+    def create(self, vmid):
+        """Create an export job
+
+        Args:
+            vm_id (int):
+
+        Returns:
+
+        Example:
+
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+
+        """
+        if type(vmid) is not int:
+            raise TypeError('vmid must be an int')
+
+        Utils.info('creating export job for VM ' + str(vmid))
+        api = ApiClient()
+        data = {"vm_id": vmid}
+        url = self.url + '.json'
+        response = api.rest(url, data, "POST")
+        exports = json.loads(response)
+        self.refresh()
+        if 'id' in exports:
+            return int(exports['id'])
+        Utils.warning('Trying to create new export job from VM ' + vmid +
+                      ', but got an unexpected response from Skytap. ' +
+                      'Response:\n' + response)
+        return 0
+
     def delete(self, job):
         """Delete an Export job."""
         target_id = 0
diff --git a/skytap/framework/ApiClient.py b/skytap/framework/ApiClient.py
index b40aafa..5c9683c 100644
--- a/skytap/framework/ApiClient.py
+++ b/skytap/framework/ApiClient.py
@@ -67,7 +67,11 @@ def _check_response(self, resp, attempts=1):
         # If we made it this far, we need to handle an exception
         if attempts >= Config.max_http_attempts or (resp.status_code != 429 and
                                                     resp.status_code != 423):
-            raise Exception(json.loads(resp.text))
+            Utils.error('Error recieved in API return. Response code: ' + str(resp.status_code) + '. Reponse text: ' + resp.text)
+#            print(resp.headers)
+            error_response = json.loads(resp.text)
+            error_response['status_code'] = resp.status_code
+            raise Exception(error_response)
 
         if resp.status_code == 423:  # "Busy"
             if 'Retry-After' in resp.headers: