Organising pneumonia, previously called bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia is a clinicopathological entity of unknown aetiology, which has been reported with increasing frequency. Various modes of presentation have been described such as cough, fever, weight loss and alveolar opacities on chest radiograph. Haemoptysis as primary presenting symptom has only rarely been reported. The authors report a case in which massive life-threatening haemoptysis was the major presenting symptom. No aetiology was identified for the haemoptysis and the diagnosis was confirmed on postmortem histology. This case highlights the importance of considering organising pneumonia in the differential diagnosis of acute severe haemoptysis.