diff --git a/src/exceptions.h b/src/exceptions.h
index 21c4a2ed..9d01e14f 100644
--- a/src/exceptions.h
+++ b/src/exceptions.h
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
 #include <exception>
 
-class RecursionException: public std::exception {
+class RecursionException: public std::runtime_error {
 public:
-	RecursionException(const char *recursiontype, const std::string &name)
-		: rectype(recursiontype), name(name) {}
-	virtual ~RecursionException() throw() {}
-	virtual const char *what() const throw() {
+	static RecursionException create(const char *recursiontype, const std::string &name) {
 		std::stringstream out;
-		out << "ERROR: Recursion detected calling " << this->rectype << " '" << this->name << "'";
-		return out.str().c_str();
-  }
+		out << "ERROR: Recursion detected calling " << recursiontype << " '" << name << "'";
+		return RecursionException(out.str());
+	}
+	virtual ~RecursionException() throw() {}
+
 private:
-	const char *rectype;
-	const std::string name;
+	RecursionException(const std::string &what_arg) : std::runtime_error(what_arg) {}
 };
diff --git a/src/expr.cc b/src/expr.cc
index 77c5ac77..68a30891 100644
--- a/src/expr.cc
+++ b/src/expr.cc
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ ExpressionFunctionCall::ExpressionFunctionCall(const std::string &funcname,
 ValuePtr ExpressionFunctionCall::evaluate(const Context *context) const
 {
 	if (StackCheck::inst()->check()) {
-		throw RecursionException("function", funcname);
+		throw RecursionException::create("function", funcname);
 	}
     
 	EvalContext c(context, this->call_arguments);
diff --git a/src/func.cc b/src/func.cc
index d4e6cbbe..e1dcc607 100644
--- a/src/func.cc
+++ b/src/func.cc
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ ValuePtr FunctionTailRecursion::evaluate(const Context *ctx, const EvalContext *
 		tmp.setVariables(definition_arguments, &ec);
 		c.apply_variables(tmp);
 
-		if (counter++ == 1000000) throw RecursionException("function", this->name);
+		if (counter++ == 1000000) throw RecursionException::create("function", this->name);
 	}
 
 	ValuePtr result = endexpr->evaluate(&c);
diff --git a/src/module.cc b/src/module.cc
index 715cd337..78a93e8b 100644
--- a/src/module.cc
+++ b/src/module.cc
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ AbstractNode *ModuleInstantiation::evaluate(const Context *ctx) const
 	try {
 		AbstractNode *node = ctx->instantiate_module(*this, &c); // Passes c as evalctx
 		return node;
-	} catch (RecursionException &e) {
+	} catch (const RecursionException &e) {
 		PRINT(e.what());
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ Module::~Module()
 AbstractNode *Module::instantiate(const Context *ctx, const ModuleInstantiation *inst, EvalContext *evalctx) const
 {
 	if (StackCheck::inst()->check()) {
-		throw RecursionException("module", inst->name());
+		throw RecursionException::create("module", inst->name());
 		return NULL;
 	}