diff --git a/swh/core/api/__init__.py b/swh/core/api/__init__.py
--- a/swh/core/api/__init__.py
+++ b/swh/core/api/__init__.py
@@ -250,22 +250,27 @@
         if status_code == 404:
             raise RemoteException(payload='404 not found', response=response)
 
+        exception = None
+
         try:
             if status_class == 4:
                 data = decode_response(response)
-                raise pickle.loads(data)
+                exception = pickle.loads(data)
 
-            if status_class == 5:
+            elif status_class == 5:
                 data = decode_response(response)
                 if 'exception_pickled' in data:
-                    raise pickle.loads(data['exception_pickled'])
+                    exception = pickle.loads(data['exception_pickled'])
                 else:
-                    raise RemoteException(payload=data['exception'],
-                                          response=response)
+                    exception = RemoteException(payload=data['exception'],
+                                                response=response)
 
         except (TypeError, pickle.UnpicklingError):
             raise RemoteException(payload=data, response=response)
 
+        if exception:
+            raise exception from None
+
         if status_class != 2:
             raise RemoteException(
                 payload=f'API HTTP error: {status_code} {response.content}',
diff --git a/swh/core/api/tests/test_rpc_client_server.py b/swh/core/api/tests/test_rpc_client_server.py
--- a/swh/core/api/tests/test_rpc_client_server.py
+++ b/swh/core/api/tests/test_rpc_client_server.py
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@
     def something(self, data, db=None, cur=None):
         return data
 
+    @remote_api_endpoint('raises_typeerror')
+    def raise_typeerror(self):
+        raise TypeError('Did I pass through?')
+
 
 # this class is used on the client part. We cannot inherit from RPCTest
 # because the automagic metaclass based code that generates the RPCClient
@@ -40,6 +44,10 @@
     def not_on_server(self, db=None, cur=None):
         return 'ok'
 
+    @remote_api_endpoint('raises_typeerror')
+    def raise_typeerror(self):
+        return 'data'
+
 
 class RPCTestClient(RPCClient):
     backend_class = RPCTest2
@@ -87,3 +95,8 @@
     assert res == 'whatever'
     res = swh_rpc_client.endpoint('spam')
     assert res == 'egg'
+
+
+def test_api_typeerror(swh_rpc_client):
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match='Did I pass through?'):
+        swh_rpc_client.raise_typeerror()