diff --git a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/JLangJVM.kt b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/JLangJVM.kt
index 6f72fc37919..e045ab4955f 100644
--- a/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/JLangJVM.kt
+++ b/libraries/stdlib/src/kotlin/JLangJVM.kt
@@ -2,9 +2,25 @@ package kotlin
 
 import java.lang.Class
 import java.lang.Object
+import java.lang.annotation.*
 
 import jet.runtime.Intrinsic
 
+/**
+ * This annotation indicates what exceptions should be declared by a function when compiled to a JVM method
+ *
+ * Example:
+ *
+ *      throws(javaClass<IOException>())
+ *      fun readFile(name: String): String {...}
+ *
+ * will be translated to
+ *
+ *      String readFile(String name) throws IOException {...}
+ */
+Retention(RetentionPolicy.SOURCE)
+public annotation class throws(vararg val exceptionClasses: Class<out Throwable>)
+
 [Intrinsic("kotlin.javaClass.property")] public val <T> T.javaClass : Class<T>
     get() = (this as java.lang.Object).getClass() as Class<T>