diff --git a/rollbar/__init__.py b/rollbar/__init__.py
index e3978231..bb7035bd 100644
--- a/rollbar/__init__.py
+++ b/rollbar/__init__.py
@@ -401,10 +401,23 @@ def prev_page(self):
 
 ## internal functions
 
+def _resolve_exception_class(idx, filter):
+    cls, level = filter
+    if isinstance(cls, str):
+        # Lazily resolve class name
+        parts = cls.split('.')
+        module = ".".join(parts[:-1])
+        if module in sys.modules and hasattr(sys.modules[module], parts[-1]):
+            cls = getattr(sys.modules[module], parts[-1])
+            SETTINGS['exception_level_filters'][idx] = (cls, level)
+        else:
+            cls = None
+    return cls, level
 
 def _filtered_level(exception):
-    for cls, level in SETTINGS['exception_level_filters']:
-        if isinstance(exception, cls):
+    for i, filter in enumerate(SETTINGS['exception_level_filters']):
+        cls, level = _resolve_exception_class(i, filter)
+        if cls and isinstance(exception, cls):
             return level
 
     return None
diff --git a/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py b/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py
index 1f6f1172..41ec5a8c 100644
--- a/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py
+++ b/rollbar/test/test_rollbar.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import copy
 import mock
+import unittest
 import urllib
 
 import rollbar
@@ -114,6 +115,43 @@ def _raise():
         self.assertNotIn('args', payload['data']['body']['trace']['frames'][-1])
         self.assertNotIn('kwargs', payload['data']['body']['trace']['frames'][-1])
 
+    @mock.patch('rollbar.send_payload')
+    def test_exception_filters(self, send_payload):
+
+        rollbar.SETTINGS['exception_level_filters'] = [
+            (OSError, 'ignored'),
+            ('rollbar.ApiException', 'ignored'),
+            ('bogus.DoesntExist', 'ignored'),
+        ]
+
+        def _raise_exception():
+            try:
+                raise Exception('foo')
+            except:
+                rollbar.report_exc_info()
+
+        def _raise_os_error():
+            try:
+                raise OSError('bar')
+            except:
+                rollbar.report_exc_info()
+
+        def _raise_api_exception():
+            try:
+                raise rollbar.ApiException('bar')
+            except:
+                rollbar.report_exc_info()
+
+        _raise_exception()
+        self.assertTrue(send_payload.called)
+
+        _raise_os_error()
+        self.assertEqual(1, send_payload.call_count)
+
+        _raise_api_exception()
+        self.assertEqual(1, send_payload.call_count)
+
+
     @mock.patch('rollbar.send_payload')
     def test_report_messsage(self, send_payload):
         rollbar.report_message('foo')
@@ -714,3 +752,6 @@ def step2():
 def called_with(arg1):
     arg1 = 'changed'
     step1()
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()