diff --git a/source/birchwood/client/exceptions.d b/source/birchwood/client/exceptions.d
index ae5a1a6..b3f1cd8 100644
--- a/source/birchwood/client/exceptions.d
+++ b/source/birchwood/client/exceptions.d
@@ -56,7 +56,13 @@ public enum ErrorType
      * If the final encoded IRC message
      * is too long to send to the server
      */
-    COMMAND_TOO_LONG
+    COMMAND_TOO_LONG,
+
+    /** 
+     * If invalid parameters are passed
+     * to any of the text formatting functions
+     */
+    INVALID_FORMATTING
 }
 
 /** 
diff --git a/source/birchwood/protocol/formatting.d b/source/birchwood/protocol/formatting.d
index d1a3f27..d41c913 100644
--- a/source/birchwood/protocol/formatting.d
+++ b/source/birchwood/protocol/formatting.d
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@
  */
 module birchwood.protocol.formatting;
 
-// FIXME: Remove below import and start using BirchwoodException
-import std.string;
+import birchwood.client.exceptions;
 
 // Reset character; resets all formatting
 enum reset_code = '\x0F';
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ char generate_color_control_char(string color) {
     } else if (color.length == 2) {
         return ascii_color_code;
     } else {
-        throw new StringException("Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
+        throw new BirchwoodException(ErrorType.INVALID_FORMATTING, "Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
     }
 }
 
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ string set_foreground(string color) {
     } else if (color.length == 2) {
         control_char[0] = ascii_color_code;
     } else {
-        throw new StringException("Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
+        throw new BirchwoodException(ErrorType.INVALID_FORMATTING, "Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
     }
     return control_char.idup ~ color;
 }
@@ -73,14 +72,14 @@ string set_foreground(string color) {
 string set_foreground_background(string fg, string bg) {
     char[1] control_char;
     if (fg.length != bg.length) {
-        throw new StringException("Invalid color code (cannot mix hex and ASCII)");
+        throw new BirchwoodException(ErrorType.INVALID_FORMATTING, "Invalid color code (cannot mix hex and ASCII)");
     }
     if (fg.length == 6) {
         control_char[0] = hex_color_code;
     } else if (fg.length == 2) {
         control_char[0] = ascii_color_code;
     } else {
-        throw new StringException("Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
+        throw new BirchwoodException(ErrorType.INVALID_FORMATTING, "Invalid color code (must be either two ASCII digits or a hexadecimal code of the form RRGGBB)");
     }
     return control_char.idup ~ fg ~ "," ~ bg;
 }