--- old/src/share/classes/java/lang/Throwable.java 2013-04-14 19:33:23.000000000 -0700 +++ new/src/share/classes/java/lang/Throwable.java 2013-04-14 19:33:23.000000000 -0700 @@ -452,10 +452,15 @@ * @since 1.4 */ public synchronized Throwable initCause(Throwable cause) { - if (this.cause != this) - throw new IllegalStateException("Can't overwrite cause"); + if (this.cause != this) { + IllegalStateException ise = + new IllegalStateException("Can't overwrite cause", this); + if (cause != null) + ise.addSuppressed(cause); + throw ise; + } if (cause == this) - throw new IllegalArgumentException("Self-causation not permitted"); + throw new IllegalArgumentException("Self-causation not permitted", this); this.cause = cause; return this; } @@ -1039,7 +1044,7 @@ */ public final synchronized void addSuppressed(Throwable exception) { if (exception == this) - throw new IllegalArgumentException(SELF_SUPPRESSION_MESSAGE); + throw new IllegalArgumentException(SELF_SUPPRESSION_MESSAGE, exception); if (exception == null) throw new NullPointerException(NULL_CAUSE_MESSAGE);