diff --git a/amodem/stream.py b/amodem/stream.py
index 4268d17..9673f31 100644
--- a/amodem/stream.py
+++ b/amodem/stream.py
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@ import logging
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-class Timeout(Exception):
-    pass
-
-
 class Reader(object):
 
     def __init__(self, fd, data_type=None, bufsize=4096,
@@ -51,6 +47,6 @@ class Reader(object):
 
             time.sleep(self.wait)
 
-        raise Timeout(self.timeout)
+        raise IOError('timeout')
 
     __next__ = next
diff --git a/tests/test_stream.py b/tests/test_stream.py
index 8805bd1..e959f3c 100644
--- a/tests/test_stream.py
+++ b/tests/test_stream.py
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ def test_read():
     try:
         for buf in f:
             pass
-    except stream.Timeout as e:
-        assert e.args == (f.timeout,)
+    except IOError as e:
+        assert e.args == ('timeout',)