diff --git a/examples/client_async.py b/examples/client_async.py
index d676194fe0..0f81651c28 100755
--- a/examples/client_async.py
+++ b/examples/client_async.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
     AsyncModbusTcpClient,
     AsyncModbusTlsClient,
     AsyncModbusUdpClient,
+    ModbusException,
 )
-from pymodbus.exceptions import ModbusIOException
 
 
 logging.basicConfig()
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ async def run_a_few_calls(client):
         rr = await client.read_holding_registers(4, 2, slave=1)
         assert rr.registers[0] == 17
         assert rr.registers[1] == 17
-    except ModbusIOException:
+    except ModbusException:
         pass
 
 
diff --git a/examples/client_sync.py b/examples/client_sync.py
index abce01bc66..da177db507 100755
--- a/examples/client_sync.py
+++ b/examples/client_sync.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 # import the various client implementations
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 from pymodbus.client import (
+    ModbusException,
     ModbusSerialClient,
     ModbusTcpClient,
     ModbusTlsClient,
@@ -136,12 +137,14 @@ def run_sync_client(client, modbus_calls=None):
 
 def run_a_few_calls(client):
     """Test connection works."""
-    rr = client.read_coils(32, 1, slave=1)
-    assert len(rr.bits) == 8
-    rr = client.read_holding_registers(4, 2, slave=1)
-    assert rr.registers[0] == 17
-    assert rr.registers[1] == 17
-
+    try:
+        rr = client.read_coils(32, 1, slave=1)
+        assert len(rr.bits) == 8
+        rr = client.read_holding_registers(4, 2, slave=1)
+        assert rr.registers[0] == 17
+        assert rr.registers[1] == 17
+    except ModbusException as exc:
+        raise exc
 
 def main(cmdline=None):
     """Combine setup and run."""
diff --git a/pymodbus/client/__init__.py b/pymodbus/client/__init__.py
index 472855dd31..71ccfdc903 100644
--- a/pymodbus/client/__init__.py
+++ b/pymodbus/client/__init__.py
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@
     "AsyncModbusTcpClient",
     "AsyncModbusTlsClient",
     "AsyncModbusUdpClient",
+    "Framer",
+    "ModbusException",
     "ModbusSerialClient",
     "ModbusTcpClient",
     "ModbusTlsClient",
     "ModbusUdpClient",
-    "Framer"
 ]
 
 from pymodbus.client.serial import AsyncModbusSerialClient, ModbusSerialClient
 from pymodbus.client.tcp import AsyncModbusTcpClient, ModbusTcpClient
 from pymodbus.client.tls import AsyncModbusTlsClient, ModbusTlsClient
 from pymodbus.client.udp import AsyncModbusUdpClient, ModbusUdpClient
+from pymodbus.exceptions import ModbusException
 from pymodbus.framer import Framer