diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # HCL Change Log
 
+## v.1.9
+* Updated to a more recent Haskell Stack snapshot
+* Implemented `MonadThrow` and `MonadCatch` on `Request`
+
 ## v.1.8
 
 * updated to haskell stack
diff --git a/HCL.cabal b/HCL.cabal
--- a/HCL.cabal
+++ b/HCL.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:           HCL
-Version:        1.8
+Version:        1.9
 License:        BSD3
 Author:         Justin Bailey
 Homepage:       http://github.com/m4dc4p/hcl/tree/master
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 Library
   default-language: Haskell2010
-  Build-Depends:  base >= 4.9.0.0 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers
+  Build-Depends:  base >= 4.9.0.0 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers, exceptions >= 0.10.7 && < 0.11
   Exposed-modules: System.Console.HCL
   Hs-Source-Dirs: src
 
@@ -37,12 +37,13 @@
   main-is: Spec.hs
   hs-source-dirs: test
   ghc-options: -threaded -rtsopts -with-rtsopts=-N
-  Build-Depends:  base >= 4.7 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers, HCL, HUnit
+  Build-Depends:  base >= 4.7 && < 5, QuickCheck == 2.*, mtl, random, containers, HCL, HUnit, exceptions >= 0.10.7 && < 0.11
   other-modules:
     Spec.AndReq
     Spec.Constructors
     Spec.ReqMaybe
     Spec.Monad
+    Spec.MonadCatch
     Spec.MonadPlus
     Spec.NotReq
     Spec.OrReq
diff --git a/src/System/Console/HCL.hs b/src/System/Console/HCL.hs
--- a/src/System/Console/HCL.hs
+++ b/src/System/Console/HCL.hs
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@
 import Control.Exception (catch, IOException)
 import Control.Monad (when, MonadPlus)
 import Control.Monad.Trans 
+import qualified Control.Monad.Catch as C
 
 {- |
 The @Request@ data type represents a value requested interactively. The
@@ -409,6 +410,15 @@
          -> Request a -- ^ Result of the IO action, as a Request.
 reqIO io = Request $ catch (fmap Just io) $
   \(_ :: IOException) -> return Nothing
+
+-- | Allow throwing exceptions compatible with the exceptions package
+instance C.MonadThrow Request where
+  throwM = Request . C.throwM
+
+-- | Allow catching exceptions compatible with the exceptions package
+instance C.MonadCatch Request where
+  catch happy exceptional =
+    Request $ C.catch (runRequest happy) $ runRequest . exceptional
 
 {- |
 Lifts a @"Maybe" a@ into a @'Request' a@. -}
diff --git a/test/Spec.hs b/test/Spec.hs
--- a/test/Spec.hs
+++ b/test/Spec.hs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import qualified Spec.AndReq as AndReq
 import qualified Spec.Constructors as Constructors
 import qualified Spec.Monad as Monad
+import qualified Spec.MonadCatch as MonadCatch
 import qualified Spec.MonadPlus as MonadPlus
 import qualified Spec.NotReq as NotReq
 import qualified Spec.OrReq as OrReq
@@ -36,5 +37,6 @@
   , ReqLift2.tests
   , ReqAgree.tests
   , Monad.tests
+  , MonadCatch.tests
   , MonadPlus.tests
   ]
diff --git a/test/Spec/MonadCatch.hs b/test/Spec/MonadCatch.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/Spec/MonadCatch.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
+
+module Spec.MonadCatch (tests) where
+
+import Control.Monad.Catch
+import Test.HUnit
+
+import System.Console.HCL
+
+tests = TestLabel "Control.Monad.Catch" $ TestList
+  [ catchTest
+  , noThrowTest
+  ]
+
+catchTest = TestLabel "catch" $ TestCase $ do
+  val <- runRequest $ catch (throwM TestException >> return False) $
+    \(_ :: TestException) -> return True
+  assertEqual "" (Just True) val
+
+noThrowTest = TestLabel "catch" $ TestCase $ do
+  val <- runRequest $ catch (return False) $
+    \(_ :: TestException) -> return True
+  assertEqual "" (Just False) val
+
+data TestException = TestException deriving Show
+instance Exception TestException