diff --git a/nbconvert/exporters/python.py b/nbconvert/exporters/python.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f81a74445
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nbconvert/exporters/python.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+"""
+Python exporter which exports Notebook code into a PY file.
+"""
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright (c) 2013, the IPython Development Team.
+#
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+#
+# The full license is in the file COPYING.txt, distributed with this software.
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Imports
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+from IPython.utils.traitlets import Unicode
+
+# local import
+import exporter
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Classes
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class PythonExporter(exporter.Exporter):
+    """
+    Exports a Python code file.
+    """
+    
+    file_extension = Unicode(
+        'py', config=True, 
+        help="Extension of the file that should be written to disk")
+
+    template_file = Unicode(
+            'python', config=True,
+            help="Name of the template file to use")
diff --git a/nbconvert/utils/exceptions.py b/nbconvert/utils/exceptions.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6a4e0e624
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nbconvert/utils/exceptions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+"""NbConvert specific exceptions"""
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright (c) 2013, the IPython Development Team.
+#
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+#
+# The full license is in the file COPYING.txt, distributed with this software.
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Classes and functions
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class ConversionException(Exception):
+    """An exception raised by the conversion process."""
+
+    pass
\ No newline at end of file