diff --git a/avocado/core/exceptions.py b/avocado/core/exceptions.py
index 3f11a0962637b24c56036efea614f59a9c807a57..88349eb1f0b0ac7a7619e612a294a85afe6a4696 100644
--- a/avocado/core/exceptions.py
+++ b/avocado/core/exceptions.py
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ class JobError(Exception):
     status = "ERROR"
 
 
+class OptionValidationError(Exception):
+
+    """
+    An invalid option was passed to the test runner
+    """
+    status = "ERROR"
+
+
 class TestBaseException(Exception):
 
     """