diff --git a/atlassian/service_desk.py b/atlassian/service_desk.py
index 13146ac7f..ff59ea237 100644
--- a/atlassian/service_desk.py
+++ b/atlassian/service_desk.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # coding=utf-8
 import logging
 
+from requests import HTTPError
+
 from .rest_client import AtlassianRestAPI
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -909,3 +911,22 @@ def create_request_type(
 
         url = "rest/servicedeskapi/servicedesk/{}/requesttype".format(service_desk_id)
         return self.post(url, headers=self.experimental_headers, data=data)
+
+    def raise_for_status(self, response):
+        """
+        Checks the response for an error status and raises an exception with the error message provided by the server
+        :param response:
+        :return:
+        """
+        if response.status_code == 401 and response.headers.get("Content-Type") != "application/json;charset=UTF-8":
+            raise HTTPError("Unauthorized (401)", response=response)
+
+        if 400 <= response.status_code < 600:
+            try:
+                j = response.json()
+                error_msg = j["errorMessage"]
+            except Exception as e:
+                log.error(e)
+                response.raise_for_status()
+            else:
+                raise HTTPError(error_msg, response=response)