diff --git a/bitbake/bin/bitbake b/bitbake/bin/bitbake
index c0eb713f55..518a38ab81 100755
--- a/bitbake/bin/bitbake
+++ b/bitbake/bin/bitbake
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])),
 
 import optparse
 import warnings
+from traceback import format_exception
 import bb
 import bb.msg
 from bb import cooker
@@ -55,6 +56,13 @@ class BBConfiguration(object):
         self.pkgs_to_build = []
 
 
+def print_exception(exc, value, tb):
+    """Send exception information through bb.msg"""
+    bb.fatal("".join(format_exception(exc, value, tb)))
+
+sys.excepthook = print_exception
+
+
 _warnings_showwarning = warnings.showwarning
 def _showwarning(message, category, filename, lineno, file=None, line=None):
     """Display python warning messages using bb.msg"""