diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 606be413aa..fb7fe4546f 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ v2.3.0 (Not yet released)
 * ``pybind11/stl.h`` does not convert strings to ``vector<string>`` anymore.
   `#1258 <https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/issues/1258>`_.
 
+* Add a ``PYBIND11_NOEXCEPTIONS`` identifier that allows for compilation
+  without exceptions enabled. Importing a python module with this identifier
+  that throws an exception will call ``std::terminate()``.
+
 v2.2.4 (September 11, 2018)
 -----------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/include/pybind11/detail/common.h b/include/pybind11/detail/common.h
index 5ff74856b1..8d65cfece3 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/detail/common.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/detail/common.h
@@ -252,6 +252,16 @@ extern "C" {
             return m.ptr();
         }
 \endrst */
+#if defined(PYBIND11_NOEXCEPTIONS)
+#define PYBIND11_PLUGIN(name)                                                  \
+    PYBIND11_DEPRECATED("PYBIND11_PLUGIN is deprecated, use PYBIND11_MODULE")  \
+    static PyObject *pybind11_init();                                          \
+    PYBIND11_PLUGIN_IMPL(name) {                                               \
+        PYBIND11_CHECK_PYTHON_VERSION                                          \
+        return pybind11_init();                                                \
+    }                                                                          \
+    PyObject *pybind11_init()
+#else
 #define PYBIND11_PLUGIN(name)                                                  \
     PYBIND11_DEPRECATED("PYBIND11_PLUGIN is deprecated, use PYBIND11_MODULE")  \
     static PyObject *pybind11_init();                                          \
@@ -262,6 +272,7 @@ extern "C" {
         } PYBIND11_CATCH_INIT_EXCEPTIONS                                       \
     }                                                                          \
     PyObject *pybind11_init()
+#endif
 
 /** \rst
     This macro creates the entry point that will be invoked when the Python interpreter
@@ -280,6 +291,17 @@ extern "C" {
             });
         }
 \endrst */
+#if defined(PYBIND11_NOEXCEPTIONS)
+#define PYBIND11_MODULE(name, variable)                                        \
+    static void PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(pybind11::module &);     \
+    PYBIND11_PLUGIN_IMPL(name) {                                               \
+        PYBIND11_CHECK_PYTHON_VERSION                                          \
+        auto m = pybind11::module(PYBIND11_TOSTRING(name));                    \
+        PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(m);                              \
+        return m.ptr();                                                        \
+    }                                                                          \
+    void PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(pybind11::module &variable)
+#else
 #define PYBIND11_MODULE(name, variable)                                        \
     static void PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(pybind11::module &);     \
     PYBIND11_PLUGIN_IMPL(name) {                                               \
@@ -291,6 +313,7 @@ extern "C" {
         } PYBIND11_CATCH_INIT_EXCEPTIONS                                       \
     }                                                                          \
     void PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(pybind11::module &variable)
+#endif
 
 
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(PYBIND11_NAMESPACE)
diff --git a/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h b/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h
index 6d7dc5cfe9..a1b753f36d 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ PYBIND11_NOINLINE inline internals &get_internals() {
         builtins[id] = capsule(internals_pp);
         internals_ptr->registered_exception_translators.push_front(
             [](std::exception_ptr p) -> void {
+#if !defined(PYBIND11_NOEXCEPTIONS)
                 try {
                     if (p) std::rethrow_exception(p);
                 } catch (error_already_set &e)           { e.restore();                                    return;
@@ -230,6 +231,7 @@ PYBIND11_NOINLINE inline internals &get_internals() {
                     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Caught an unknown exception!");
                     return;
                 }
+#endif
             }
         );
         internals_ptr->static_property_type = make_static_property_type();
diff --git a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
index 785c1c0067..19ed8f8c81 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
@@ -661,7 +661,9 @@ class cpp_function : public function {
                 }
             }
         } catch (error_already_set &e) {
+#if !defined(PYBIND11_NOEXCEPTIONS)
             e.restore();
+#endif
             return nullptr;
         } catch (...) {
             /* When an exception is caught, give each registered exception
@@ -1784,6 +1786,7 @@ NAMESPACE_END(detail)
  * This is intended for simple exception translations; for more complex translation, register the
  * exception object and translator directly.
  */
+#if !defined(PYBIND11_NOEXCEPTIONS)
 template <typename CppException>
 exception<CppException> &register_exception(handle scope,
                                             const char *name,
@@ -1801,6 +1804,7 @@ exception<CppException> &register_exception(handle scope,
     });
     return ex;
 }
+#endif
 
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
 PYBIND11_NOINLINE inline void print(tuple args, dict kwargs) {