diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ExecuteContext.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ExecuteContext.java
index 495e4347d6..c096e84d95 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ExecuteContext.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ExecuteContext.java
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ public interface ExecuteContext extends Scope {
      * Override the {@link RuntimeException} being thrown.
      * <p>
      * This may have no effect, if called at the wrong moment.
+     * <p>
+     * If <code>null</code> is being passed, jOOQ will internally translate the
+     * "unavailable" exception to an unspecified {@link DataAccessException}.
      */
     void exception(RuntimeException e);
 
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultExecuteContext.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultExecuteContext.java
index fcd8ea783f..7bde7789e6 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultExecuteContext.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultExecuteContext.java
@@ -665,21 +665,21 @@ class DefaultExecuteContext implements ExecuteContext {
 
     @Override
     public final void exception(RuntimeException e) {
-        this.exception = e;
+        this.exception = Tools.translate(sql(), e);
 
         if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(settings().isDebugInfoOnStackTrace())) {
 
             // [#5570] Add jOOQ version and SQL Dialect info on the stack trace
             //         to help users write better bug reports.
             //         See http://stackoverflow.com/q/39712695/521799
-            StackTraceElement[] oldStack = e.getStackTrace();
+            StackTraceElement[] oldStack = exception.getStackTrace();
             if (oldStack != null) {
                 StackTraceElement[] newStack = new StackTraceElement[oldStack.length + 1];
                 System.arraycopy(oldStack, 0, newStack, 1, oldStack.length);
                 newStack[0] = new StackTraceElement(
                     "org.jooq_" + Constants.VERSION + "." + dialect(),
                     "debug", null, -1);
-                e.setStackTrace(newStack);
+                exception.setStackTrace(newStack);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java
index 3be5739c55..e6019251d2 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Tools.java
@@ -2802,6 +2802,16 @@ final class Tools {
             return new DataAccessException("SQL [" + sql + "]; Unspecified SQLException");
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Translate a {@link RuntimeException} to a {@link DataAccessException}
+     */
+    static final RuntimeException translate(String sql, RuntimeException e) {
+        if (e != null)
+            return e;
+        else
+            return new DataAccessException("SQL [" + sql + "]; Unspecified RuntimeException");
+    }
+
     /**
      * Safely close a statement
      */