diff -r a554010417ce -r c8f8762c986d server/session.py
--- a/server/session.py	Wed Jun 29 15:50:26 2011 +0200
+++ b/server/session.py	Wed Jun 29 16:02:24 2011 +0200
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 from cubicweb.dbapi import ConnectionProperties
 from cubicweb.utils import make_uid, RepeatList
 from cubicweb.rqlrewrite import RQLRewriter
+from cubicweb.server import ShuttingDown
 from cubicweb.server.edition import EditedEntity
 
 
@@ -1144,7 +1145,7 @@
         """connections pool, set according to transaction mode for each query"""
         if self.repo.shutting_down:
             self.reset_pool(True)
-            raise Exception('repository is shutting down')
+            raise ShuttingDown('repository is shutting down')
         return getattr(self._threaddata, 'pool', None)