diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp
index 83083b561d..31aca0626f 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp
@@ -201,6 +201,13 @@ void RestBaseHandler::generateError (HttpResponse::HttpResponseCode code, int er
   }
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief generates an OUT_OF_MEMORY error
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+void RestBaseHandler::generateOOMError () {
+  generateError(HttpResponse::SERVER_ERROR, TRI_ERROR_OUT_OF_MEMORY);
+}
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // --SECTION--                                                       END-OF-FILE
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h
index 01de14fd04..4e7c9ed21d 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h
@@ -131,6 +131,12 @@ namespace triagens {
                                     int,
                                     std::string const&);
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief generates an OUT_OF_MEMORY error
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+        virtual void generateOOMError ();
+
     };
   }
 }