diff --git a/_pytest/skipping.py b/_pytest/skipping.py
index 6ddbb6553..e65ac577f 100644
--- a/_pytest/skipping.py
+++ b/_pytest/skipping.py
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
         "http://pytest.org/latest/skipping.html"
     )
     config.addinivalue_line("markers",
-        "xfail(condition, reason=None, run=True): mark the the test function "
+        "xfail(condition, reason=None, run=True, raises=None): mark the the test function "
         "as an expected failure if eval(condition) has a True value. "
         "Optionally specify a reason for better reporting and run=False if "
-        "you don't even want to execute the test function. See "
-        "http://pytest.org/latest/skipping.html"
+        "you don't even want to execute the test function. If only specific "
+        "exception(s) are expected, you can list them in raises, and if the test fails "
+        "in other ways, it will be reported as a true failure. "
+        "See http://pytest.org/latest/skipping.html"
     )
 
 def pytest_namespace():
@@ -60,6 +62,15 @@ class MarkEvaluator:
     def wasvalid(self):
         return not hasattr(self, 'exc')
 
+    def invalidraise(self, exctype):
+        raises = self.get('raises')
+        if not raises:
+            return
+        if isinstance(raises, tuple):
+            return exctype not in raises
+        else:
+            return raises != exctype
+
     def istrue(self):
         try:
             return self._istrue()
@@ -171,7 +182,11 @@ def pytest_runtest_makereport(__multicall__, item, call):
         if not item.config.option.runxfail:
             if evalxfail.wasvalid() and evalxfail.istrue():
                 if call.excinfo:
-                    rep.outcome = "skipped"
+                    if evalxfail.invalidraise(call.excinfo.type):
+                        rep.outcome = "failed"
+                        return rep
+                    else:
+                        rep.outcome = "skipped"
                 elif call.when == "call":
                     rep.outcome = "failed"
                 else:
diff --git a/testing/test_skipping.py b/testing/test_skipping.py
index d85a5d635..fdf73efde 100644
--- a/testing/test_skipping.py
+++ b/testing/test_skipping.py
@@ -330,6 +330,53 @@ class TestXFail:
             "*1 xfailed*",
         ])
 
+    def test_xfail_raises_match(self, testdir):
+        p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+            import pytest
+            @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=TypeError)
+            def test_raises():
+                raise TypeError()
+        """)
+        result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            "*1 xfailed*",
+        ])
+
+    def test_xfail_raises_mismatch(self, testdir):
+        p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+            import pytest
+            @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=IndexError)
+            def test_raises():
+                raise TypeError()
+        """)
+        result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            "*1 failed*",
+        ])
+    def test_xfail_raises_tuple_match(self, testdir):
+        p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+            import pytest
+            @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=(AttributeError, TypeError))
+            def test_raises():
+                raise TypeError()
+        """)
+        result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            "*1 xfailed*",
+        ])
+
+    def test_xfail_raises_tuple_mismatch(self, testdir):
+        p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+            import pytest
+            @pytest.mark.xfail(raises=(AttributeError, IndexError))
+            def test_raises():
+                raise TypeError()
+        """)
+        result = testdir.runpytest(p)
+        result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+            "*1 failed*",
+        ])
+
 class TestXFailwithSetupTeardown:
     def test_failing_setup_issue9(self, testdir):
         testdir.makepyfile("""
@@ -575,7 +622,7 @@ def test_default_markers(testdir):
     result = testdir.runpytest("--markers")
     result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
         "*skipif(*condition)*skip*",
-        "*xfail(*condition, reason=None, run=True)*expected failure*",
+        "*xfail(*condition, reason=None, run=True, raises=None)*expected failure*",
     ])
 
 def test_xfail_test_setup_exception(testdir):
@@ -617,7 +664,6 @@ def test_imperativeskip_on_xfail_test(testdir):
         *2 skipped*
     """)
 
-
 class TestBooleanCondition:
     def test_skipif(self, testdir):
         testdir.makepyfile("""