diff --git a/collects/lang/info.ss b/collects/lang/info.ss
index 1a57d67828..f6eaf6a761 100644
--- a/collects/lang/info.ss
+++ b/collects/lang/info.ss
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 (define tool-names (list "How to Design Programs"))
 (define tool-urls (list "http://www.htdp.org/"))
 
+(define compile-omit-paths
+  '("test-error.ss"))
+
 (define textbook-pls
   (list (list '("htdp-icon.gif" "icons")
               "How to Design Programs"
diff --git a/collects/lang/private/TODO b/collects/lang/private/TODO
index 7f7f0cfc8b..c12461914a 100644
--- a/collects/lang/private/TODO
+++ b/collects/lang/private/TODO
@@ -38,4 +38,3 @@ string-ref  : String Nat -> Char
 
 NOTE: 
 substring consumes 2 or 3 arguments 
-
diff --git a/collects/lang/test-error.ss b/collects/lang/test-error.ss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2a20deb2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/lang/test-error.ss
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+;; The first three lines of this file were inserted by DrScheme. They record metadata
+;; about the language level of this file in a form that our tools can easily process.
+#reader(lib "htdp-beginner-reader.ss" "lang")((modname bar) (read-case-sensitive #t) (teachpacks ()) (htdp-settings #(#t constructor repeating-decimal #f #t none #f ())))
+(check-error (error) "")
+(check-error (error 1) "1")
+(check-error (error 'a) "a: ")
+(check-error (error 'a "bad input") "a: bad input")
+(check-error (error 'a "bad input: " 1) "a: bad input: 1")
+(check-error (error 'a "bad input: " 1 " and " "hello") "a: bad input: 1 and hello")
+(check-error (error 'a "bad input: " 1 " and " false) "a: bad input: 1 and false")
+(check-error (error 'a "uhoh " (list 1 2 3)) "a: uhoh (cons 1 (cons 2 (cons 3 empty)))")
+
+(define-struct err (str))
+
+(check-error (error 'a "bad input: " 1 " and " (make-err "hello")) 
+             "a: bad input: 1 and (make-err \"hello\")")