diff --git a/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py b/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py
index e9f9247cc2..fc1b38effc 100644
--- a/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py
+++ b/parsl/dataflow/dflow.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from parsl.dataflow.rundirs import make_rundir
 from parsl.dataflow.states import States, FINAL_STATES, FINAL_FAILURE_STATES
 from parsl.dataflow.taskrecord import TaskRecord
-from parsl.errors import ConfigurationError
+from parsl.errors import ConfigurationError, InternalConsistencyError, NoDataFlowKernelError
 from parsl.jobs.job_status_poller import JobStatusPoller
 from parsl.jobs.states import JobStatus, JobState
 from parsl.usage_tracking.usage import UsageTracker
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ def handle_exec_update(self, task_record: TaskRecord, future: Future) -> None:
         task_record['try_time_returned'] = datetime.datetime.now()
 
         if not future.done():
-            raise RuntimeError("done callback called, despite future not reporting itself as done")
+            raise InternalConsistencyError("done callback called, despite future not reporting itself as done")
 
         try:
             res = self._unwrap_remote_exception_wrapper(future)
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ def handle_app_update(self, task_record: TaskRecord, future: AppFuture) -> None:
         elif self.checkpoint_mode is None:
             pass
         else:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"Invalid checkpoint mode {self.checkpoint_mode}")
+            raise InternalConsistencyError(f"Invalid checkpoint mode {self.checkpoint_mode}")
 
         self.wipe_task(task_id)
         return
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ def submit(self,
             ignore_for_cache = list(ignore_for_cache)
 
         if self.cleanup_called:
-            raise RuntimeError("Cannot submit to a DFK that has been cleaned up")
+            raise NoDataFlowKernelError("Cannot submit to a DFK that has been cleaned up")
 
         task_id = self.task_count
         self.task_count += 1
@@ -1420,7 +1420,7 @@ def load(cls, config: Optional[Config] = None) -> DataFlowKernel:
             - DataFlowKernel : The loaded DataFlowKernel object.
         """
         if cls._dfk is not None:
-            raise RuntimeError('Config has already been loaded')
+            raise ConfigurationError('Config has already been loaded')
 
         if config is None:
             cls._dfk = DataFlowKernel(Config())
@@ -1441,5 +1441,5 @@ def wait_for_current_tasks(cls) -> None:
     def dfk(cls) -> DataFlowKernel:
         """Return the currently-loaded DataFlowKernel."""
         if cls._dfk is None:
-            raise RuntimeError('Must first load config')
+            raise ConfigurationError('Must first load config')
         return cls._dfk
diff --git a/parsl/errors.py b/parsl/errors.py
index 571ced1e8d..5de6010dcd 100644
--- a/parsl/errors.py
+++ b/parsl/errors.py
@@ -25,3 +25,13 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
         return "The functionality requested requires optional modules {0} which could not be imported, because: {1}".format(
             self.module_names, self.reason
         )
+
+
+class InternalConsistencyError(ParslError):
+    """Raised when a component enounters an internal inconsistency.
+    """
+
+
+class NoDataFlowKernelError(ParslError):
+    """Raised when no DataFlowKernel is available for an operation that needs one.
+    """