diff --git a/src/doomerrors.h b/src/doomerrors.h
index c389c6b05..a7ec02654 100644
--- a/src/doomerrors.h
+++ b/src/doomerrors.h
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@
 
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <exception>
 
 #define MAX_ERRORTEXT	1024
 
-class CDoomError
+class CDoomError : public std::exception
 {
 public:
 	CDoomError ()
@@ -69,13 +70,22 @@ public:
 		else
 			return NULL;
 	}
+	char const *what() const override
+	{
+		return m_Message;
+	}
+
 
 protected:
 	char m_Message[MAX_ERRORTEXT];
 };
 
-class CNoRunExit : public CDoomError
+class CNoRunExit : public std::exception
 {
+public:
+	CNoRunExit() : std::exception("NoRunExit")
+	{
+	}
 };
 
 class CRecoverableError : public CDoomError
diff --git a/src/posix/cocoa/i_main_except.cpp b/src/posix/cocoa/i_main_except.cpp
index 5c3785588..a61eca2cc 100644
--- a/src/posix/cocoa/i_main_except.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/cocoa/i_main_except.cpp
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ void OriginalMainExcept(int argc, char** argv)
 	{
 		OriginalMainTry(argc, argv);
 	}
-	catch(const CDoomError& error)
+	catch(const std::exception& error)
 	{
-		const char* const message = error.GetMessage();
+		const char* const message = error.what();
 
 		if (NULL != message)
 		{
-			fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
+			if (strcmp(message, "NoRunExit")) fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
 			Mac_I_FatalError(message);
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/posix/i_steam.cpp b/src/posix/i_steam.cpp
index 29dc9b845..dccadb021 100644
--- a/src/posix/i_steam.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/i_steam.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ TArray<FString> I_GetSteamPath()
 	{
 		SteamInstallFolders = ParseSteamRegistry(regPath);
 	}
-	catch(class CDoomError &error)
+	catch(class CRecoverableError &error)
 	{
 		// If we can't parse for some reason just pretend we can't find anything.
 		return result;
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ TArray<FString> I_GetSteamPath()
 		{
 			SteamInstallFolders = ParseSteamRegistry(regPath);
 		}
-		catch(class CDoomError &error)
+		catch(class CRecoverableError &error)
 		{
 			// If we can't parse for some reason just pretend we can't find anything.
 			return result;
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp
index 38f035515..8e7230777 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/i_main.cpp
@@ -258,11 +258,11 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 		C_InitConsole (80*8, 25*8, false);
 		D_DoomMain ();
     }
-    catch (class CDoomError &error)
+    catch (std::exception &error)
     {
 		I_ShutdownJoysticks();
-		if (error.GetMessage ())
-			fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", error.GetMessage ());
+		if (error.what () && strcmp(error.what(), "NoRunExit"))
+			fprintf (stderr, "%s\n", error.what ());
 
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 		Mac_I_FatalError(error.GetMessage());
diff --git a/src/win32/i_main.cpp b/src/win32/i_main.cpp
index b1d7a7bb7..6a75a597a 100644
--- a/src/win32/i_main.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/i_main.cpp
@@ -1048,21 +1048,22 @@ void DoMain (HINSTANCE hInstance)
 		}
 		exit(0);
 	}
-	catch (class CDoomError &error)
+	catch (std::exception &error)
 	{
 		I_ShutdownGraphics ();
 		RestoreConView ();
 		S_StopMusic(true);
 		I_FlushBufferedConsoleStuff();
-		if (error.GetMessage ())
+		auto msg = error.what();
+		if (strcmp(msg, "NoRunExit"))
 		{
 			if (!batchrun)
 			{
-				ShowErrorPane(error.GetMessage());
+				ShowErrorPane(msg);
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				Printf("%s\n", error.GetMessage());
+				Printf("%s\n", msg);
 			}
 		}
 		exit (-1);