diff --git a/googleapiclient/errors.py b/googleapiclient/errors.py
index e6f1f9d..6a741f8 100644
--- a/googleapiclient/errors.py
+++ b/googleapiclient/errors.py
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@
     self.reason = reason
 
   def __repr__(self):
+    if getattr(self.resp, 'status', None) is None:
+      return '<BatchError "%s">' % (self.reason)
+    else:
       return '<BatchError %s "%s">' % (self.resp.status, self.reason)
 
   __str__ = __repr__
diff --git a/tests/test_http.py b/tests/test_http.py
index 865d847..36b43bf 100644
--- a/tests/test_http.py
+++ b/tests/test_http.py
@@ -1053,7 +1053,9 @@
     upload = MediaFileUpload(
         datafile('small.png'), chunksize=500, resumable=True)
     self.request1.resumable = upload
-    self.assertRaises(BatchError, batch.add, self.request1, request_id='1')
+    with self.assertRaises(BatchError) as batch_error:
+      batch.add(self.request1, request_id='1')
+    str(batch_error.exception)
 
   def test_execute_empty_batch_no_http(self):
     batch = BatchHttpRequest()