diff --git a/lib/couchrest/model/associations.rb b/lib/couchrest/model/associations.rb
index 889ff5c..ccebcf8 100644
--- a/lib/couchrest/model/associations.rb
+++ b/lib/couchrest/model/associations.rb
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ module CouchRest
 
           begin
             opts[:class] = opts[:class_name].constantize
-          rescue
-            raise "Unable to convert class name into Constant for #{self.name}##{attrib}"
+          rescue NameError
+            raise NameError, "Unable to convert class name into Constant for #{self.name}##{attrib}"
           end
 
           prop = property(opts[:foreign_key], opts)
diff --git a/spec/couchrest/assocations_spec.rb b/spec/couchrest/assocations_spec.rb
index fe16970..36e0e5d 100644
--- a/spec/couchrest/assocations_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/couchrest/assocations_spec.rb
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ describe "Assocations" do
     end
 
     it "should raise error if class name does not exist" do
-      lambda {
+      lambda do
         class TestBadAssoc < CouchRest::Model::Base
           belongs_to :test_bad_item
         end
-      }.should raise_error
+      end.should raise_error(NameError, /TestBadAssoc#test_bad_item/)
     end
 
     it "should allow override of foreign key" do