diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 3ae1286..f49b39a 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ Rémy Greinhofer <remy.greinhofer@livelovely.com>
 invlpg <invlpg@gmail.com>
 Richard O'Dwyer <richard@richard.do>
 williara <ray@hudl.com>
+n0npax <marcin@niemira.net>
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index e1d0e9c..9372dc0 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ retry decorator
                        fixed if a number, random if a range tuple (min, max)
         :param logger: logger.warning(fmt, error, delay) will be called on failed attempts.
                        default: retry.logging_logger. if None, logging is disabled.
+        :param instant_raise_exceptions: an exception or tuple which will be raised without retry
         """
 
 Various retrying logic can be achieved by combination of arguments.
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ retry_call
                        fixed if a number, random if a range tuple (min, max)
         :param logger: logger.warning(fmt, error, delay) will be called on failed attempts.
                        default: retry.logging_logger. if None, logging is disabled.
+        :param instant_raise_exceptions: an exception or tuple which will be raised without retry
         :returns: the result of the f function.
         """
 
diff --git a/retry/api.py b/retry/api.py
index 4a404b9..d3d1bc8 100644
--- a/retry/api.py
+++ b/retry/api.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 
 def __retry_internal(f, exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None, backoff=1, jitter=0,
-                     logger=logging_logger):
+                     logger=logging_logger, instant_raise_exceptions=None):
     """
     Executes a function and retries it if it failed.
 
@@ -25,12 +25,15 @@ def __retry_internal(f, exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None,
                    fixed if a number, random if a range tuple (min, max)
     :param logger: logger.warning(fmt, error, delay) will be called on failed attempts.
                    default: retry.logging_logger. if None, logging is disabled.
+    :param instant_raise_exceptions: an exception or tuple which will be raised without retry
     :returns: the result of the f function.
     """
     _tries, _delay = tries, delay
     while _tries:
         try:
             return f()
+        except instant_raise_exceptions:
+            raise
         except exceptions as e:
             _tries -= 1
             if not _tries:
@@ -51,7 +54,8 @@ def __retry_internal(f, exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None,
                 _delay = min(_delay, max_delay)
 
 
-def retry(exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None, backoff=1, jitter=0, logger=logging_logger):
+def retry(exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None, backoff=1, jitter=0, logger=logging_logger,
+          instant_raise_exceptions=None):
     """Returns a retry decorator.
 
     :param exceptions: an exception or a tuple of exceptions to catch. default: Exception.
@@ -63,6 +67,7 @@ def retry(exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None, backoff=1, ji
                    fixed if a number, random if a range tuple (min, max)
     :param logger: logger.warning(fmt, error, delay) will be called on failed attempts.
                    default: retry.logging_logger. if None, logging is disabled.
+    :param instant_raise_exceptions: an exception or tuple which will be raised without retry
     :returns: a retry decorator.
     """
 
@@ -71,14 +76,13 @@ def retry_decorator(f, *fargs, **fkwargs):
         args = fargs if fargs else list()
         kwargs = fkwargs if fkwargs else dict()
         return __retry_internal(partial(f, *args, **kwargs), exceptions, tries, delay, max_delay, backoff, jitter,
-                                logger)
+                                logger, instant_raise_exceptions)
 
     return retry_decorator
 
 
 def retry_call(f, fargs=None, fkwargs=None, exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, delay=0, max_delay=None, backoff=1,
-               jitter=0,
-               logger=logging_logger):
+               jitter=0, logger=logging_logger, instant_raise_exceptions=None):
     """
     Calls a function and re-executes it if it failed.
 
@@ -94,8 +98,10 @@ def retry_call(f, fargs=None, fkwargs=None, exceptions=Exception, tries=-1, dela
                    fixed if a number, random if a range tuple (min, max)
     :param logger: logger.warning(fmt, error, delay) will be called on failed attempts.
                    default: retry.logging_logger. if None, logging is disabled.
+    :param instant_raise_exceptions: an exception or tuple which will be raised without retry
     :returns: the result of the f function.
     """
     args = fargs if fargs else list()
     kwargs = fkwargs if fkwargs else dict()
-    return __retry_internal(partial(f, *args, **kwargs), exceptions, tries, delay, max_delay, backoff, jitter, logger)
+    return __retry_internal(partial(f, *args, **kwargs), exceptions, tries, delay, max_delay, backoff, jitter, logger,
+                            instant_raise_exceptions)
diff --git a/tests/test_retry.py b/tests/test_retry.py
index 64f45cd..28ca4db 100644
--- a/tests/test_retry.py
+++ b/tests/test_retry.py
@@ -70,6 +70,38 @@ def f():
     assert f() == target
 
 
+def test_instant_raise_exceptions():
+
+    class MyException(Exception): pass
+    hit = [0]
+
+    @retry(instant_raise_exceptions=MyException)
+    def f():
+        hit[0] += 1
+        raise MyException
+
+    with pytest.raises(MyException):
+        f()
+    assert hit[0] == 1
+
+
+def test_exceptions_and_instant_raise_exceptions():
+
+    class MyException(Exception): pass
+    hit = [0]
+
+    @retry(instant_raise_exceptions=MyException)
+    def f():
+        hit[0] += 1
+        if hit[0] > 5:
+            raise MyException
+        else:
+            raise IOError
+    with pytest.raises(MyException):
+        f()
+    assert hit[0] == 6
+
+
 def test_max_delay(monkeypatch):
     mock_sleep_time = [0]