diff --git a/Doc/lib/libsubprocess.tex b/Doc/lib/libsubprocess.tex
index 308c1dd..5a2a835 100644
--- a/Doc/lib/libsubprocess.tex
+++ b/Doc/lib/libsubprocess.tex
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@
 
 \subsubsection{Convenience Functions}
 
-This module also defines one shortcut function:
+This module also defines two shortcut functions:
 
 \begin{funcdesc}{call}{*popenargs, **kwargs}
 Run command with arguments.  Wait for command to complete, then
@@ -133,6 +133,18 @@
 \end{verbatim}
 \end{funcdesc}
 
+\begin{funcdesc}{check_call}{*popenargs, **kwargs}
+Run command with arguments.  Wait for command to complete. If the exit
+code was zero then return, otherwise raise CalledProcessError.  The
+CalledProcessError object will have the return code in the
+\member{errno} attribute.
+
+The arguments are the same as for the Popen constructor.  Example:
+
+\begin{verbatim}
+    check_call(["ls", "-l"])
+\end{verbatim}
+\end{funcdesc}
 
 \subsubsection{Exceptions}
 
@@ -149,6 +161,10 @@
 A \exception{ValueError} will be raised if \class{Popen} is called
 with invalid arguments.
 
+check_call() will raise \exception{CalledProcessError}, which is a
+subclass of \exception{OSError}, if the called process returns a
+non-zero return code.
+
 
 \subsubsection{Security}
 
diff --git a/Lib/subprocess.py b/Lib/subprocess.py
index 40b04fe..da0c31b 100644
--- a/Lib/subprocess.py
+++ b/Lib/subprocess.py
@@ -133,6 +133,15 @@
 
     retcode = call(["ls", "-l"])
 
+check_call(*popenargs, **kwargs):
+    Run command with arguments.  Wait for command to complete.  If the
+    exit code was zero then return, otherwise raise
+    CalledProcessError.  The CalledProcessError object will have the
+    return code in the errno attribute.
+
+    The arguments are the same as for the Popen constructor.  Example:
+
+    check_call(["ls", "-l"])
 
 Exceptions
 ----------
@@ -148,6 +157,9 @@
 
 A ValueError will be raised if Popen is called with invalid arguments.
 
+check_call() will raise CalledProcessError, which is a subclass of
+OSError, if the called process returns a non-zero return code.
+
 
 Security
 --------
@@ -363,6 +375,13 @@
 import types
 import traceback
 
+# Exception classes used by this module.
+class CalledProcessError(OSError):
+    """This exception is raised when a process run by check_call() returns
+    a non-zero exit status.  The exit status will be stored in the
+    errno attribute.  This exception is a subclass of
+    OSError."""
+
 if mswindows:
     import threading
     import msvcrt
@@ -393,7 +412,7 @@
     import fcntl
     import pickle
 
-__all__ = ["Popen", "PIPE", "STDOUT", "call"]
+__all__ = ["Popen", "PIPE", "STDOUT", "call", "check_call", "CalledProcessError"]
 
 try:
     MAXFD = os.sysconf("SC_OPEN_MAX")
@@ -428,6 +447,25 @@
     return Popen(*popenargs, **kwargs).wait()
 
 
+def check_call(*popenargs, **kwargs):
+    """Run command with arguments.  Wait for command to complete.  If
+    the exit code was zero then return, otherwise raise
+    CalledProcessError.  The CalledProcessError object will have the
+    return code in the errno attribute.
+
+    The arguments are the same as for the Popen constructor.  Example:
+
+    check_call(["ls", "-l"])
+    """
+    retcode = call(*popenargs, **kwargs)
+    cmd = kwargs.get("args")
+    if cmd is None:
+        cmd = popenargs[0]
+    if retcode:
+        raise CalledProcessError(retcode, "Command %s returned non-zero exit status" % cmd)
+    return retcode
+
+
 def list2cmdline(seq):
     """
     Translate a sequence of arguments into a command line
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_subprocess.py b/Lib/test/test_subprocess.py
index b26d40c..52f4d47 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_subprocess.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_subprocess.py
@@ -44,6 +44,22 @@
                               "import sys; sys.exit(47)"])
         self.assertEqual(rc, 47)
 
+    def test_check_call_zero(self):
+        # check_call() function with zero return code
+        rc = subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, "-c",
+                                    "import sys; sys.exit(0)"])
+        self.assertEqual(rc, 0)
+
+    def test_check_call_nonzero(self):
+        # check_call() function with non-zero return code
+        try:
+            subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, "-c",
+                                   "import sys; sys.exit(47)"])
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError, e:
+            self.assertEqual(e.errno, 47)
+        else:
+            self.fail("Expected CalledProcessError")
+
     def test_call_kwargs(self):
         # call() function with keyword args
         newenv = os.environ.copy()