diff --git a/django/core/handlers/base.py b/django/core/handlers/base.py
index 26788fd58a9..2d1d61ce180 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/base.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/base.py
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ class BaseHandler(object):
                 view = transaction.atomic(using=db.alias)(view)
         return view
 
+    def get_exception_response(self, request, resolver, status_code):
+        try:
+            callback, param_dict = resolver.resolve_error_handler(status_code)
+            response = callback(request, **param_dict)
+        except:
+            signals.got_request_exception.send(sender=self.__class__, request=request)
+            response = self.handle_uncaught_exception(request, resolver, sys.exc_info())
+
+        return response
+
     def get_response(self, request):
         "Returns an HttpResponse object for the given HttpRequest"
 
@@ -151,12 +161,7 @@ class BaseHandler(object):
             if settings.DEBUG:
                 response = debug.technical_404_response(request, e)
             else:
-                try:
-                    callback, param_dict = resolver.resolve404()
-                    response = callback(request, **param_dict)
-                except:
-                    signals.got_request_exception.send(sender=self.__class__, request=request)
-                    response = self.handle_uncaught_exception(request, resolver, sys.exc_info())
+                response = self.get_exception_response(request, resolver, 404)
 
         except PermissionDenied:
             logger.warning(
@@ -165,14 +170,7 @@ class BaseHandler(object):
                     'status_code': 403,
                     'request': request
                 })
-            try:
-                callback, param_dict = resolver.resolve403()
-                response = callback(request, **param_dict)
-            except:
-                signals.got_request_exception.send(
-                    sender=self.__class__, request=request)
-                response = self.handle_uncaught_exception(request,
-                    resolver, sys.exc_info())
+            response = self.get_exception_response(request, resolver, 403)
 
         except SuspiciousOperation as e:
             # The request logger receives events for any problematic request
@@ -186,14 +184,7 @@ class BaseHandler(object):
                     'request': request
                 })
 
-            try:
-                callback, param_dict = resolver.resolve400()
-                response = callback(request, **param_dict)
-            except:
-                signals.got_request_exception.send(
-                    sender=self.__class__, request=request)
-                response = self.handle_uncaught_exception(request,
-                    resolver, sys.exc_info())
+            response = self.get_exception_response(request, resolver, 400)
 
         except SystemExit:
             # Allow sys.exit() to actually exit. See tickets #1023 and #4701
@@ -251,7 +242,7 @@ class BaseHandler(object):
         if resolver.urlconf_module is None:
             six.reraise(*exc_info)
         # Return an HttpResponse that displays a friendly error message.
-        callback, param_dict = resolver.resolve500()
+        callback, param_dict = resolver.resolve_error_handler(500)
         return callback(request, **param_dict)
 
     def apply_response_fixes(self, request, response):
diff --git a/django/core/urlresolvers.py b/django/core/urlresolvers.py
index dd98b7bb03a..e8564ecc763 100644
--- a/django/core/urlresolvers.py
+++ b/django/core/urlresolvers.py
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ class RegexURLResolver(LocaleRegexProvider):
             raise ImproperlyConfigured(msg.format(name=self.urlconf_name))
         return patterns
 
-    def _resolve_special(self, view_type):
+    def resolve_error_handler(self, view_type):
         callback = getattr(self.urlconf_module, 'handler%s' % view_type, None)
         if not callback:
             # No handler specified in file; use default
@@ -402,18 +402,6 @@ class RegexURLResolver(LocaleRegexProvider):
             callback = getattr(urls, 'handler%s' % view_type)
         return get_callable(callback), {}
 
-    def resolve400(self):
-        return self._resolve_special('400')
-
-    def resolve403(self):
-        return self._resolve_special('403')
-
-    def resolve404(self):
-        return self._resolve_special('404')
-
-    def resolve500(self):
-        return self._resolve_special('500')
-
     def reverse(self, lookup_view, *args, **kwargs):
         return self._reverse_with_prefix(lookup_view, '', *args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/tests/urlpatterns_reverse/tests.py b/tests/urlpatterns_reverse/tests.py
index d2840a00378..6964065f30e 100644
--- a/tests/urlpatterns_reverse/tests.py
+++ b/tests/urlpatterns_reverse/tests.py
@@ -614,15 +614,15 @@ class ErrorHandlerResolutionTests(TestCase):
 
     def test_named_handlers(self):
         handler = (empty_view, {})
-        self.assertEqual(self.resolver.resolve400(), handler)
-        self.assertEqual(self.resolver.resolve404(), handler)
-        self.assertEqual(self.resolver.resolve500(), handler)
+        self.assertEqual(self.resolver.resolve_error_handler(400), handler)
+        self.assertEqual(self.resolver.resolve_error_handler(404), handler)
+        self.assertEqual(self.resolver.resolve_error_handler(500), handler)
 
     def test_callable_handers(self):
         handler = (empty_view, {})
-        self.assertEqual(self.callable_resolver.resolve400(), handler)
-        self.assertEqual(self.callable_resolver.resolve404(), handler)
-        self.assertEqual(self.callable_resolver.resolve500(), handler)
+        self.assertEqual(self.callable_resolver.resolve_error_handler(400), handler)
+        self.assertEqual(self.callable_resolver.resolve_error_handler(404), handler)
+        self.assertEqual(self.callable_resolver.resolve_error_handler(500), handler)
 
 
 @override_settings(ROOT_URLCONF='urlpatterns_reverse.urls_without_full_import')