diff --git a/src/Storage/Adapter/Filesystem.php b/src/Storage/Adapter/Filesystem.php
index cbe2899ae..487d98d3d 100644
--- a/src/Storage/Adapter/Filesystem.php
+++ b/src/Storage/Adapter/Filesystem.php
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\TaggableInterface;
 use Zend\Cache\Storage\TotalSpaceCapableInterface;
 use Zend\Stdlib\ErrorHandler;
+use ArrayObject;
 
 class Filesystem extends AbstractAdapter implements
     AvailableSpaceCapableInterface,
@@ -131,6 +132,8 @@ public function flush()
      * Remove expired items
      *
      * @return bool
+     *
+     * @triggers clearExpired.exception(ExceptionEvent)
      */
     public function clearExpired()
     {
@@ -161,7 +164,13 @@ public function clearExpired()
         }
         $error = ErrorHandler::stop();
         if ($error) {
-            throw new Exception\RuntimeException("Failed to clear expired items", 0, $error);
+            $result = false;
+            return $this->triggerException(
+                __FUNCTION__,
+                new ArrayObject(),
+                $result,
+                new Exception\RuntimeException('Failed to clear expired items', 0, $error)
+            );
         }
 
         return true;
diff --git a/src/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandler.php b/src/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandler.php
index 5c99c3cbe..e6acace0c 100644
--- a/src/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandler.php
+++ b/src/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandler.php
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ public function attach(EventManagerInterface $events, $priority = 1)
 
         $this->listeners[] = $events->attach('decrementItem.exception', $callback, $priority);
         $this->listeners[] = $events->attach('decrementItems.exception', $callback, $priority);
+
+        // utility
+        $this->listeners[] = $events->attach('clearExpired.exception', $callback, $priority);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/test/Storage/Adapter/FilesystemTest.php b/test/Storage/Adapter/FilesystemTest.php
index 168e6a3d9..d0c6ca50a 100644
--- a/test/Storage/Adapter/FilesystemTest.php
+++ b/test/Storage/Adapter/FilesystemTest.php
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 namespace ZendTest\Cache\Storage\Adapter;
 
 use Zend\Cache;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\Plugin\ExceptionHandler;
+use Zend\Cache\Storage\Plugin\PluginOptions;
 
 /**
  * @group      Zend_Cache
@@ -281,4 +283,22 @@ public function testGetMetadataWithAtime()
         $expectedAtime = fileatime($meta['filespec'] . '.dat');
         $this->assertEquals($expectedAtime, $meta['atime']);
     }
+
+    public function testClearExpiredExceptionTriggersEvent()
+    {
+        $this->_options->setTtl(0.1);
+        $this->_storage->setItem('k', 'v');
+        $dirs = glob($this->_tmpCacheDir . '/*');
+        if (count($dirs) === 0) {
+            $this->fail('Could not find cache dir');
+        }
+        chmod($dirs[0], 0500); //make directory rx, unlink should fail
+        sleep(1); //wait for the entry to expire
+        $plugin = new ExceptionHandler();
+        $options = new PluginOptions(array('throw_exceptions' => false));
+        $plugin->setOptions($options);
+        $this->_storage->addPlugin($plugin);
+        $this->_storage->clearExpired();
+        chmod($dirs[0], 0700); //set dir back to writable for tearDown
+    }
 }
diff --git a/test/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandlerTest.php b/test/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandlerTest.php
index edf017d61..7f1d878b6 100644
--- a/test/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandlerTest.php
+++ b/test/Storage/Plugin/ExceptionHandlerTest.php
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ public function testAddPlugin()
 
             'decrementItem.exception'  => 'onException',
             'decrementItems.exception' => 'onException',
+
+            'clearExpired.exception' => 'onException',
         );
         foreach ($expectedListeners as $eventName => $expectedCallbackMethod) {
             $listeners = $this->_adapter->getEventManager()->getListeners($eventName);