diff --git a/bindings/ruby/defs.h b/bindings/ruby/defs.h
index a0303169..5446868e 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/defs.h
+++ b/bindings/ruby/defs.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ VALUE notmuch_rb_eFileNotEmailError;
 VALUE notmuch_rb_eNullPointerError;
 VALUE notmuch_rb_eTagTooLongError;
 VALUE notmuch_rb_eUnbalancedFreezeThawError;
+VALUE notmuch_rb_eUnbalancedAtomicError;
 
 ID ID_call;
 ID ID_db_create;
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/init.c b/bindings/ruby/init.c
index a516ab98..72e1a478 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/init.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/init.c
@@ -166,7 +166,14 @@ Init_notmuch(void)
      */
     notmuch_rb_eUnbalancedFreezeThawError = rb_define_class_under(mod, "UnbalancedFreezeThawError",
             notmuch_rb_eBaseError);
-
+    /*
+     * Document-class: Notmuch::UnbalancedAtomicError
+     *
+     * Raised when notmuch_database_end_atomic has been called more times than
+     * notmuch_database_begin_atomic
+     */
+    notmuch_rb_eUnbalancedAtomicError = rb_define_class_under(mod, "UnbalancedAtomicError",
+            notmuch_rb_eBaseError);
     /*
      * Document-class: Notmuch::Database
      *
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/status.c b/bindings/ruby/status.c
index 3d106ca9..a2bd61a7 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/status.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/status.c
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ notmuch_rb_status_raise(notmuch_status_t status)
         rb_raise(notmuch_rb_eTagTooLongError, "tag too long");
     case NOTMUCH_STATUS_UNBALANCED_FREEZE_THAW:
         rb_raise(notmuch_rb_eUnbalancedFreezeThawError, "unbalanced freeze/thaw");
+    case NOTMUCH_STATUS_UNBALANCED_ATOMIC:
+        rb_raise(notmuch_rb_eUnbalancedAtomicError, "unbalanced atomic");
     default:
         rb_raise(notmuch_rb_eBaseError, "unknown notmuch error");
     }