diff --git a/tket2-py/Cargo.toml b/tket2-py/Cargo.toml
index 7fb305c1..5b084c16 100644
--- a/tket2-py/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tket2-py/Cargo.toml
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ tket2 = { workspace = true, features = ["pyo3", "portmatching"] }
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0"
 tket-json-rs = { workspace = true, features = ["pyo3"] }
-quantinuum-hugr = { workspace = true, features = ["pyo3"] }
-portgraph = { workspace = true, features = ["pyo3", "serde"] }
+quantinuum-hugr = { workspace = true }
+portgraph = { workspace = true, features = ["serde"] }
 pyo3 = { workspace = true, features = ["extension-module"] }
 num_cpus = "1.16.0"
 derive_more = "0.99.17"
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/circuit.rs b/tket2-py/src/circuit.rs
index 126a4486..aeffa682 100644
--- a/tket2-py/src/circuit.rs
+++ b/tket2-py/src/circuit.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ use tket2::json::TKETDecode;
 use tket2::rewrite::CircuitRewrite;
 use tket_json_rs::circuit_json::SerialCircuit;
 
+use crate::utils::create_py_exception;
+
 pub use self::convert::{try_update_hugr, try_with_hugr, update_hugr, with_hugr, Tk2Circuit};
 pub use self::cost::PyCircuitCost;
 pub use tket2::{Pauli, Tk2Op};
@@ -30,24 +32,48 @@ pub fn module(py: Python) -> PyResult<&PyModule> {
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(validate_hugr, m)?)?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(to_hugr_dot, m)?)?;
 
-    m.add("HugrError", py.get_type::<hugr::hugr::PyHugrError>())?;
-    m.add("BuildError", py.get_type::<hugr::builder::PyBuildError>())?;
-    m.add(
-        "ValidationError",
-        py.get_type::<hugr::hugr::validate::PyValidationError>(),
-    )?;
+    m.add("HugrError", py.get_type::<PyHugrError>())?;
+    m.add("BuildError", py.get_type::<PyBuildError>())?;
+    m.add("ValidationError", py.get_type::<PyValidationError>())?;
     m.add(
         "HUGRSerializationError",
-        py.get_type::<hugr::hugr::serialize::PyHUGRSerializationError>(),
-    )?;
-    m.add(
-        "OpConvertError",
-        py.get_type::<tket2::json::PyOpConvertError>(),
+        py.get_type::<PyHUGRSerializationError>(),
     )?;
+    m.add("OpConvertError", py.get_type::<PyOpConvertError>())?;
 
     Ok(m)
 }
 
+create_py_exception!(
+    hugr::hugr::HugrError,
+    PyHugrError,
+    "Errors that can occur while manipulating a HUGR."
+);
+
+create_py_exception!(
+    hugr::builder::BuildError,
+    PyBuildError,
+    "Error while building the HUGR."
+);
+
+create_py_exception!(
+    hugr::hugr::validate::ValidationError,
+    PyValidationError,
+    "Errors that can occur while validating a Hugr."
+);
+
+create_py_exception!(
+    hugr::hugr::serialize::HUGRSerializationError,
+    PyHUGRSerializationError,
+    "Errors that can occur while serializing a HUGR."
+);
+
+create_py_exception!(
+    tket2::json::OpConvertError,
+    PyOpConvertError,
+    "Error type for the conversion between tket2 and tket1 operations."
+);
+
 /// Run the validation checks on a circuit.
 #[pyfunction]
 pub fn validate_hugr(c: &PyAny) -> PyResult<()> {
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/circuit/convert.rs b/tket2-py/src/circuit/convert.rs
index 1980af87..ca31973d 100644
--- a/tket2-py/src/circuit/convert.rs
+++ b/tket2-py/src/circuit/convert.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use tket2::{Circuit, Tk2Op};
 use tket_json_rs::circuit_json::SerialCircuit;
 
 use crate::rewrite::PyCircuitRewrite;
+use crate::utils::ConvertPyErr;
 
 use super::{cost, PyCircuitCost};
 
@@ -57,7 +58,9 @@ impl Tk2Circuit {
 
     /// Convert the [`Tk2Circuit`] to a tket1 circuit.
     pub fn to_tket1<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>) -> PyResult<&'py PyAny> {
-        SerialCircuit::encode(&self.hugr)?.to_tket1(py)
+        SerialCircuit::encode(&self.hugr)
+            .convert_pyerrs()?
+            .to_tket1(py)
     }
 
     /// Apply a rewrite on the circuit.
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ impl Tk2Circuit {
     /// FIXME: Currently the encoded circuit cannot be loaded back due to
     /// [https://github.com/CQCL/hugr/issues/683]
     pub fn to_tket1_json(&self) -> PyResult<String> {
-        Ok(serde_json::to_string(&SerialCircuit::encode(&self.hugr)?).unwrap())
+        Ok(serde_json::to_string(&SerialCircuit::encode(&self.hugr).convert_pyerrs()?).unwrap())
     }
 
     /// Decode a tket1 json string to a circuit.
@@ -94,7 +97,7 @@ impl Tk2Circuit {
         let tk1: SerialCircuit = serde_json::from_str(json)
             .map_err(|e| PyErr::new::<PyAttributeError, _>(format!("Invalid encoded HUGR: {e}")))?;
         Ok(Tk2Circuit {
-            hugr: tk1.decode()?,
+            hugr: tk1.decode().convert_pyerrs()?,
         })
     }
 
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@ impl CircuitType {
     /// Converts a `Hugr` into the format indicated by the flag.
     pub fn convert(self, py: Python, hugr: Hugr) -> PyResult<&PyAny> {
         match self {
-            CircuitType::Tket1 => SerialCircuit::encode(&hugr)?.to_tket1(py),
+            CircuitType::Tket1 => SerialCircuit::encode(&hugr).convert_pyerrs()?.to_tket1(py),
             CircuitType::Tket2 => Ok(Py::new(py, Tk2Circuit { hugr })?.into_ref(py)),
         }
     }
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ impl CircuitType {
 /// This method supports both `pytket.Circuit` and `Tk2Circuit` python objects.
 pub fn try_with_hugr<T, E, F>(circ: &PyAny, f: F) -> PyResult<T>
 where
-    E: Into<PyErr>,
+    E: ConvertPyErr<Output = PyErr>,
     F: FnOnce(Hugr, CircuitType) -> Result<T, E>,
 {
     let (hugr, typ) = match Tk2Circuit::extract(circ) {
@@ -183,11 +186,11 @@ where
         Ok(t2circ) => (t2circ.hugr, CircuitType::Tket2),
         // tket1 circuit
         Err(_) => (
-            SerialCircuit::from_tket1(circ)?.decode()?,
+            SerialCircuit::from_tket1(circ)?.decode().convert_pyerrs()?,
             CircuitType::Tket1,
         ),
     };
-    (f)(hugr, typ).map_err(|e| e.into())
+    (f)(hugr, typ).map_err(|e| e.convert_pyerrs())
 }
 
 /// Apply a function expecting a hugr on a python circuit.
@@ -206,12 +209,12 @@ where
 /// The returned Hugr is converted to the matching python object.
 pub fn try_update_hugr<E, F>(circ: &PyAny, f: F) -> PyResult<&PyAny>
 where
-    E: Into<PyErr>,
+    E: ConvertPyErr<Output = PyErr>,
     F: FnOnce(Hugr, CircuitType) -> Result<Hugr, E>,
 {
     let py = circ.py();
     try_with_hugr(circ, |hugr, typ| {
-        let hugr = f(hugr, typ).map_err(|e| e.into())?;
+        let hugr = f(hugr, typ).map_err(|e| e.convert_pyerrs())?;
         typ.convert(py, hugr)
     })
 }
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/lib.rs b/tket2-py/src/lib.rs
index bb9ec8ef..bda5833a 100644
--- a/tket2-py/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tket2-py/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ pub mod optimiser;
 pub mod passes;
 pub mod pattern;
 pub mod rewrite;
+pub mod utils;
 
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/passes.rs b/tket2-py/src/passes.rs
index 31eebb01..3cef24cd 100644
--- a/tket2-py/src/passes.rs
+++ b/tket2-py/src/passes.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use std::{cmp::min, convert::TryInto, fs, num::NonZeroUsize, path::PathBuf};
 use pyo3::{prelude::*, types::IntoPyDict};
 use tket2::{op_matches, passes::apply_greedy_commutation, Circuit, Tk2Op};
 
+use crate::utils::{create_py_exception, ConvertPyErr};
 use crate::{
     circuit::{try_update_hugr, try_with_hugr},
     optimiser::PyBadgerOptimiser,
@@ -21,18 +22,17 @@ pub fn module(py: Python) -> PyResult<&PyModule> {
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(badger_optimise, m)?)?;
     m.add_class::<self::chunks::PyCircuitChunks>()?;
     m.add_function(wrap_pyfunction!(self::chunks::chunks, m)?)?;
-    m.add(
-        "PullForwardError",
-        py.get_type::<tket2::passes::PyPullForwardError>(),
-    )?;
+    m.add("PullForwardError", py.get_type::<PyPullForwardError>())?;
     Ok(m)
 }
 
+create_py_exception!(tket2::passes::PullForwardError, PyPullForwardError, "");
+
 #[pyfunction]
 fn greedy_depth_reduce(circ: &PyAny) -> PyResult<(&PyAny, u32)> {
     let py = circ.py();
     try_with_hugr(circ, |mut h, typ| {
-        let n_moves = apply_greedy_commutation(&mut h)?;
+        let n_moves = apply_greedy_commutation(&mut h).convert_pyerrs()?;
         let circ = typ.convert(py, h)?;
         PyResult::Ok((circ, n_moves))
     })
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/passes/chunks.rs b/tket2-py/src/passes/chunks.rs
index b1a71828..7d97959b 100644
--- a/tket2-py/src/passes/chunks.rs
+++ b/tket2-py/src/passes/chunks.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use tket2::Circuit;
 
 use crate::circuit::convert::CircuitType;
 use crate::circuit::{try_with_hugr, with_hugr};
+use crate::utils::ConvertPyErr;
 
 /// Split a circuit into chunks of a given size.
 #[pyfunction]
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ pub struct PyCircuitChunks {
 impl PyCircuitChunks {
     /// Reassemble the chunks into a circuit.
     fn reassemble<'py>(&self, py: Python<'py>) -> PyResult<&'py PyAny> {
-        let hugr = self.clone().chunks.reassemble()?;
+        let hugr = self.clone().chunks.reassemble().convert_pyerrs()?;
         self.original_type.convert(py, hugr)
     }
 
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/pattern.rs b/tket2-py/src/pattern.rs
index 3aa8f14e..953d1cd6 100644
--- a/tket2-py/src/pattern.rs
+++ b/tket2-py/src/pattern.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ pub mod portmatching;
 
 use crate::circuit::Tk2Circuit;
 use crate::rewrite::PyCircuitRewrite;
+use crate::utils::{create_py_exception, ConvertPyErr};
 
 use hugr::Hugr;
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
@@ -18,22 +19,30 @@ pub fn module(py: Python) -> PyResult<&PyModule> {
     m.add_class::<self::portmatching::PyPatternMatcher>()?;
     m.add_class::<self::portmatching::PyPatternMatch>()?;
 
-    m.add(
-        "InvalidReplacementError",
-        py.get_type::<hugr::hugr::views::sibling_subgraph::PyInvalidReplacementError>(),
-    )?;
     m.add(
         "InvalidPatternError",
-        py.get_type::<tket2::portmatching::pattern::PyInvalidPatternError>(),
+        py.get_type::<PyInvalidPatternError>(),
     )?;
     m.add(
         "InvalidReplacementError",
-        py.get_type::<hugr::hugr::views::sibling_subgraph::PyInvalidReplacementError>(),
+        py.get_type::<PyInvalidReplacementError>(),
     )?;
 
     Ok(m)
 }
 
+create_py_exception!(
+    hugr::hugr::views::sibling_subgraph::InvalidReplacement,
+    PyInvalidReplacementError,
+    "Errors that can occur while constructing a HUGR replacement."
+);
+
+create_py_exception!(
+    tket2::portmatching::pattern::InvalidPattern,
+    PyInvalidPatternError,
+    "Conversion error from circuit to pattern."
+);
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 #[pyclass]
 /// A rewrite rule defined by a left hand side and right hand side of an equation.
@@ -63,7 +72,7 @@ impl RuleMatcher {
             rules.into_iter().map(|Rule([l, r])| (l, r)).unzip();
         let patterns: Result<Vec<CircuitPattern>, _> =
             lefts.iter().map(CircuitPattern::try_from_circuit).collect();
-        let matcher = PatternMatcher::from_patterns(patterns?);
+        let matcher = PatternMatcher::from_patterns(patterns.convert_pyerrs()?);
 
         Ok(Self { matcher, rights })
     }
@@ -72,7 +81,7 @@ impl RuleMatcher {
         let h = &target.hugr;
         if let Some(p_match) = self.matcher.find_matches_iter(h).next() {
             let r = self.rights.get(p_match.pattern_id().0).unwrap().clone();
-            let rw = p_match.to_rewrite(h, r)?;
+            let rw = p_match.to_rewrite(h, r).convert_pyerrs()?;
             Ok(Some(rw.into()))
         } else {
             Ok(None)
diff --git a/tket2-py/src/utils.rs b/tket2-py/src/utils.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d0f8e36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tket2-py/src/utils.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+//! Utility functions for the python interface.
+
+/// A trait for types wrapping rust errors that may be converted into python exception.
+///
+/// In addition to raw errors, this is implemented for wrapper types such as `Result`.
+/// [`ConvertPyErr::convert_errors`] will be called on the internal error type.
+pub trait ConvertPyErr {
+    /// The output type after conversion.
+    type Output;
+
+    /// Convert any internal errors to python errors.
+    fn convert_pyerrs(self) -> Self::Output;
+}
+
+impl ConvertPyErr for pyo3::PyErr {
+    type Output = Self;
+
+    fn convert_pyerrs(self) -> Self::Output {
+        self
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T, E> ConvertPyErr for Result<T, E>
+where
+    E: ConvertPyErr,
+{
+    type Output = Result<T, E::Output>;
+
+    fn convert_pyerrs(self) -> Self::Output {
+        self.map_err(|e| e.convert_pyerrs())
+    }
+}
+
+macro_rules! create_py_exception {
+    ($err:path, $py_err:ident, $doc:expr) => {
+        pyo3::create_exception!(tket2, $py_err, pyo3::exceptions::PyException, $doc);
+
+        impl $crate::utils::ConvertPyErr for $err {
+            type Output = pyo3::PyErr;
+
+            fn convert_pyerrs(self) -> Self::Output {
+                $py_err::new_err(<Self as std::string::ToString>::to_string(&self))
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+pub(crate) use create_py_exception;
diff --git a/tket2/src/json.rs b/tket2/src/json.rs
index 62b0c982..a6050af9 100644
--- a/tket2/src/json.rs
+++ b/tket2/src/json.rs
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ pub mod op;
 mod tests;
 
 use hugr::CircuitUnit;
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-use pyo3::{create_exception, exceptions::PyException, PyErr};
 
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::{fs, io};
@@ -104,21 +102,6 @@ pub enum OpConvertError {
     NonSerializableInputs(OpType),
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-create_exception!(
-    tket2,
-    PyOpConvertError,
-    PyException,
-    "Error type for conversion between tket2's `Op` and `OpType`"
-);
-
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-impl From<OpConvertError> for PyErr {
-    fn from(err: OpConvertError) -> Self {
-        PyOpConvertError::new_err(err.to_string())
-    }
-}
-
 /// Load a TKET1 circuit from a JSON file.
 pub fn load_tk1_json_file(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<Hugr, TK1ConvertError> {
     let file = fs::File::open(path)?;
diff --git a/tket2/src/passes.rs b/tket2/src/passes.rs
index efacfec5..dcb0ae52 100644
--- a/tket2/src/passes.rs
+++ b/tket2/src/passes.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 //! Optimisation passes and related utilities for circuits.
 
 mod commutation;
-pub use commutation::apply_greedy_commutation;
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-pub use commutation::PyPullForwardError;
+pub use commutation::{apply_greedy_commutation, PullForwardError};
 
 pub mod chunks;
 pub use chunks::CircuitChunks;
diff --git a/tket2/src/passes/commutation.rs b/tket2/src/passes/commutation.rs
index ae63db60..66b8de7d 100644
--- a/tket2/src/passes/commutation.rs
+++ b/tket2/src/passes/commutation.rs
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ use hugr::{CircuitUnit, Direction, Hugr, HugrView, Node, Port, PortIndex};
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use portgraph::PortOffset;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-use pyo3::{create_exception, exceptions::PyException, PyErr};
-
 use crate::{
     circuit::{command::Command, units::filter::Qubits, Circuit},
     ops::{Pauli, Tk2Op},
@@ -187,7 +184,7 @@ fn commutation_on_port(comms: &[(usize, Pauli)], port: Port) -> Option<Pauli> {
         .find_map(|(i, p)| (*i == port.index()).then_some(*p))
 }
 
-/// Error from a [`PullForward`] operation.
+/// Error from a `PullForward` operation.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Error, PartialEq, Eq)]
 #[allow(missing_docs)]
 pub enum PullForwardError {
@@ -202,20 +199,6 @@ pub enum PullForwardError {
     NoCommandForQb(usize),
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-create_exception!(
-    tket2,
-    PyPullForwardError,
-    PyException,
-    "Error in applying PullForward rewrite."
-);
-
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-impl From<PullForwardError> for PyErr {
-    fn from(err: PullForwardError) -> Self {
-        PyPullForwardError::new_err(err.to_string())
-    }
-}
 struct PullForward {
     command: Rc<ComCommand>,
     new_nexts: HashMap<Qb, Rc<ComCommand>>,
diff --git a/tket2/src/portmatching/pattern.rs b/tket2/src/portmatching/pattern.rs
index f30e1e02..e99a061e 100644
--- a/tket2/src/portmatching/pattern.rs
+++ b/tket2/src/portmatching/pattern.rs
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ use super::{
 };
 use crate::{circuit::Circuit, portmatching::NodeID};
 
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-use pyo3::{create_exception, exceptions::PyException, PyErr};
-
 /// A pattern that match a circuit exactly
 #[derive(Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct CircuitPattern {
@@ -136,21 +133,6 @@ impl From<NoRootFound> for InvalidPattern {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-create_exception!(
-    tket2,
-    PyInvalidPatternError,
-    PyException,
-    "Invalid circuit pattern"
-);
-
-#[cfg(feature = "pyo3")]
-impl From<InvalidPattern> for PyErr {
-    fn from(err: InvalidPattern) -> Self {
-        PyInvalidPatternError::new_err(err.to_string())
-    }
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {