diff --git a/python/grass/pygrass/raster/abstract.py b/python/grass/pygrass/raster/abstract.py
index f5ad6a1d6cc..8ced0359b22 100644
--- a/python/grass/pygrass/raster/abstract.py
+++ b/python/grass/pygrass/raster/abstract.py
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 #
 # import GRASS modules
 #
-from grass.script import fatal, gisenv
+from grass.exceptions import GrassError
+from grass.script import gisenv
 import grass.lib.gis as libgis
 import grass.lib.raster as libraster
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@
 #
 from grass.pygrass import utils
 from grass.pygrass.gis.region import Region
-from grass.pygrass.errors import must_be_open, must_be_in_current_mapset
+from grass.pygrass.errors import must_be_in_current_mapset, must_be_open
 from grass.pygrass.shell.conversion import dict2html
 from grass.pygrass.shell.show import raw_figure
 
@@ -408,7 +409,7 @@ def __getitem__(self, key):
                 )
                 raise IndexError(msg)
             return self.get_row(key)
-        fatal("Invalid argument type.")
+        raise TypeError("Invalid argument type: %r." % key)
 
     def __iter__(self):
         """Return a constructor of the class"""
@@ -503,8 +504,8 @@ def set_region_from_rast(self, rastname="", mapset=""):
 
         """
         if self.is_open():
-            fatal("You cannot change the region if map is open")
-            raise
+            msg = "You cannot change the region if map is open"
+            raise GrassError(msg)
         region = Region()
         if rastname == "":
             rastname = self.name
@@ -522,8 +523,8 @@ def set_region(self, region):
         The GRASS region settings will not be modified.
         """
         if self.is_open():
-            fatal("You cannot change the region if map is open")
-            raise
+            msg = "You cannot change the region if map is open"
+            raise GrassError(msg)
         self._set_raster_window(region)
 
     def _set_raster_window(self, region):
diff --git a/python/grass/pygrass/raster/testsuite/test_pygrass_raster.py b/python/grass/pygrass/raster/testsuite/test_pygrass_raster.py
index 393ff42fc6f..7390152eef0 100644
--- a/python/grass/pygrass/raster/testsuite/test_pygrass_raster.py
+++ b/python/grass/pygrass/raster/testsuite/test_pygrass_raster.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from grass.exceptions import OpenError
+from grass.exceptions import GrassError, OpenError
 from grass.gunittest.case import TestCase
 from grass.gunittest.main import test
 
@@ -88,6 +88,20 @@ def test_row_range(self):
             r[9999]
         r.close()
 
+    def test_getitem_invalid_type(self):
+        r = RasterRow(self.name)
+        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
+            r["invalid_key"]
+
+    def test_set_region_open_map(self):
+        r = RasterRow(self.name)
+        r.open(mode="r")
+        with self.assertRaises(GrassError):
+            r.set_region_from_rast()
+        with self.assertRaises(GrassError):
+            r.set_region(None)
+        r.close()
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     test()