diff --git a/guides/handling-errors.md b/guides/handling-errors.md
index 9833a915..b7e3c9da 100644
--- a/guides/handling-errors.md
+++ b/guides/handling-errors.md
@@ -121,6 +121,30 @@ The list could also be partial populated and truncated because of a timeout.
 <% end %>
 ```
 
+## HTTP errors
+
+By default, `GraphQL::Client::HTTP` turns HTTP statuses other than 200 and 400
+into a GraphQL-style error, so a `503` shows up in `response.errors` like any
+other error. Override `parse_response` to handle the HTTP response yourself,
+for example to raise your own errors:
+
+```ruby
+HTTP = GraphQL::Client::HTTP.new("https://example.com/graphql") do
+  def parse_response(response)
+    case response
+    when Net::HTTPOK, Net::HTTPBadRequest
+      super
+    else
+      raise MyApp::UpstreamError, "HTTP #{response.code} #{response.message}"
+    end
+  end
+end
+```
+
+`parse_response` receives the `Net::HTTPResponse` with status, headers and body
+and returns the GraphQL result hash. Network and timeout errors are raised by
+`Net::HTTP` before it is called.
+
 ## See also
 
 * [graphql-js "path" field](https://github.com/graphql/graphql-js/blob/23592ad16868e06b1c003629759f905a77ab81a0/src/error/GraphQLError.js#L42-L48)
diff --git a/lib/graphql/client/http.rb b/lib/graphql/client/http.rb
index c3e3fb87..8d17e9a9 100644
--- a/lib/graphql/client/http.rb
+++ b/lib/graphql/client/http.rb
@@ -77,6 +77,16 @@ def execute(document:, operation_name: nil, variables: {}, context: {})
 
         response = connection.request(request)
         @last_response = response.to_hash
+        parse_response(response)
+      end
+
+      # Public: Extension point for subclasses to turn the HTTP response into a
+      # GraphQL result, e.g. to raise on unexpected statuses.
+      #
+      # response - The Net::HTTPResponse
+      #
+      # Returns { "data" => ... , "errors" => ... } Hash.
+      def parse_response(response)
         case response
         when Net::HTTPOK, Net::HTTPBadRequest
           JSON.parse(response.body)
diff --git a/test/test_http.rb b/test/test_http.rb
index 4c7deb68..ef5955c4 100644
--- a/test/test_http.rb
+++ b/test/test_http.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 require "graphql"
 require "graphql/client/http"
 require "minitest/autorun"
+require "minitest/mock"
 
 class TestHTTP < Minitest::Test
   SWAPI = GraphQL::Client::HTTP.new("https://mpjk0plp9.lp.gql.zone/graphql") do
@@ -35,3 +36,48 @@ def test_execute
     assert_equal(expected, actual)
   end
 end
+
+class TestHTTPParseResponse < Minitest::Test
+  class UnexpectedStatus < StandardError; end
+
+  def http_response(status, body)
+    response = Net::HTTPResponse::CODE_TO_OBJ.fetch(status).new("1.1", status, "Test response")
+    response.instance_variable_set(:@read, true)
+    response.body = body
+    response
+  end
+
+  def execute(adapter, response)
+    connection = Minitest::Mock.new
+    connection.expect(:request, response, [Net::HTTP::Post])
+    result = adapter.stub(:connection, connection) do
+      adapter.execute(document: GraphQL.parse("{ name }"))
+    end
+    connection.verify
+    result
+  end
+
+  def test_default_response_handling
+    adapter = GraphQL::Client::HTTP.new("https://example.com/graphql")
+
+    assert_equal({ "data" => { "name" => "Luke" } }, execute(adapter, http_response("200", '{"data":{"name":"Luke"}}')))
+    assert_equal({ "errors" => [{ "message" => "Rejected" }] }, execute(adapter, http_response("400", '{"errors":[{"message":"Rejected"}]}')))
+    assert_equal({ "errors" => [{ "message" => "503 Test response" }] }, execute(adapter, http_response("503", "unavailable")))
+  end
+
+  def test_parse_response_can_be_overridden
+    adapter = GraphQL::Client::HTTP.new("https://example.com/graphql") do
+      def parse_response(response)
+        raise UnexpectedStatus, response.code unless response.is_a?(Net::HTTPOK)
+
+        super
+      end
+    end
+    response = http_response("503", "<html>Unavailable</html>")
+
+    error = assert_raises(UnexpectedStatus) { execute(adapter, response) }
+    assert_equal("503", error.message)
+    assert_equal(response.to_hash, adapter.last_response)
+    assert_equal({ "data" => { "name" => "Luke" } }, execute(adapter, http_response("200", '{"data":{"name":"Luke"}}')))
+  end
+end