src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/plugins/ExcludeVMPlugin.java

@@ -206,11 +206,11 @@
                     target = Jvm.MINIMAL;
                     exclude = "/java.base/native*server/*,/java.base/native*client/*";
                     break;
                 }
                 default: {
-                    throw new PluginException("Unknown option " + value);
+                    throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown exclude VM option: " + value);
                 }
             }
             predicate = new ResourceFilter(Utils.listParser.apply(exclude), true);
         } catch (IOException ex) {
             throw new UncheckedIOException(ex);