diff --git a/common/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/execute/ResultExecution.scala b/common/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/execute/ResultExecution.scala
index 8565c037ab..e652feae35 100644
--- a/common/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/execute/ResultExecution.scala
+++ b/common/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/execute/ResultExecution.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import control.Property
 import reflect.ClassName._
 import text.NotNullStrings._
 import java.util.regex.Pattern
+import scala.util.control.NonFatal
 
 /**
 * This trait executes a Result and returns an appropriate value when a specs2 exception is thrown
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ trait ResultExecution { outer =>
       case e: AssertionError                                                 => Error(e)
       case e: java.lang.Error if simpleClassName(e) == "NotImplementedError" => Failure(e.getMessage.notNull, "", e.getStackTrace.toList, details = FromJUnitAssertionError)
       case e: java.lang.Error if simpleClassName(e) == "ExpectationError"    => Failure(e.toString, "", e.getStackTrace.toList, details = FromExpectationError)
-      case t: Exception                                                      => Error(t)
+      case NonFatal(t)                                                       => Error(t)
     }
 
   /** execute a Result and rethrow any exception or throws an exception if it is not a success */
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ trait ResultExecution { outer =>
       case e: AssertionError                                                 => throw ErrorException(Error(e))
       case e: java.lang.Error if simpleClassName(e) == "NotImplementedError" => throw FailureException(Failure(e.getMessage.notNull, "", e.getStackTrace.toList, details = FromJUnitAssertionError))
       case e: java.lang.Error if simpleClassName(e) == "ExpectationError"    => throw FailureException(Failure(e.toString, "", e.getStackTrace.toList, details = FromExpectationError))
-      case t: Exception                                                      => throw ErrorException(Error(t))
+      case NonFatal(t)                                                       => throw ErrorException(Error(t))
     }
 
   /**
diff --git a/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/ExecutionSpec.scala b/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/ExecutionSpec.scala
index de05bb45f8..273cd8b044 100644
--- a/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/ExecutionSpec.scala
+++ b/core/jvm/src/test/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/ExecutionSpec.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ class ExecutionSpec(val env: Env) extends Specification with OwnEnv { def is = s
  A link is executed by getting the corresponding specification ref status in the Statistics store
    the Stats is the stats of the spec + specs += 1 $linkExecution
 
- An execution can be created from a result throwing a FailureException $withFailureException
+ An execution can be created from a result throwing a FailureException
+   it will then create a failed result $withFailureException
+
+ An execution can be created from a result throwing a fatal exception
+   it will then throw an ExecutionException exception $withFatalException
 
 """
 
@@ -35,6 +39,10 @@ class ExecutionSpec(val env: Env) extends Specification with OwnEnv { def is = s
     Execution.withEnv(_ => {throw new FailureException(failure); success}).result(env) === failure
   }
 
+  def withFatalException = {
+    Execution.withEnv(_ => {throw new java.lang.NoSuchMethodError("boom"); success}).result(env) must throwAn[ExecutionException]
+  }
+
   /**
    * HELPERS
    */
diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/Execution.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/Execution.scala
index dfd01cf5eb..5034f515fa 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/Execution.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/org/specs2/specification/core/Execution.scala
@@ -137,9 +137,14 @@ case class Execution(run:            Option[Env => Future[() => Result]] = None,
           env.setContextClassLoader()
 
           val timer = startSimpleTimer
-
+          
           val timedFuture = TimedFuture({ es =>
-            r(env).map(action => (action(), timer.stop))
+            r(env).flatMap { action =>
+              try Future.successful((action(), timer.stop))
+              catch { case t: Throwable =>
+                Future.failed(t)
+              }
+            }
           }, to)
 
           val future = timedFuture.runNow(env.executorServices).recoverWith { case e: FailureException =>