@@ -155,7 +155,14 @@ def insert(self, rows, replace=False, ignore_errors=False, skip_duplicates=False
                 table=self.full_table_name,
                 fields='`'+'`,`'.join(rows.heading.names)+'`',
                 select=rows.make_sql())
-            self.connection.query(query)
+            try:
+                self.connection.query(query)
+            except pymysql.err.InternalError as err:
+                if err.args[0] == server_error_codes['unknown column']:
+                    # args[1] -> Unknown column 'extra' in 'field list'
+                    raise DataJointError('%s : To ignore extra fields, set ignore_extra_fields=True in insert.' % err.args[1])
+                else:
+                    raise
             return
 
         heading = self.heading
 
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 
 server_error_codes = {
+    'unknown column': 1054,
     'command denied': 1142,
     'tables does not exist': 1146,
     'syntax error': 1149
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def test_insert_select(self):
             'real_id', 'date_of_birth', 'subject_notes', subject_id='subject_id+1000', species='"human"'))
         assert_equal(len(self.subject), 2*original_length)
 
-    @raises(InternalError)
+    @raises(dj.DataJointError)
     def test_insert_select_ignore_extra_fields0(self):
         ''' need ignore extra fields for insert select '''
         self.test_extra.insert1((self.test.fetch('key').max() + 1, 0, 0))