diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/DirContextPoolableObjectFactory.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/DirContextPoolableObjectFactory.java
index 80e3671c..ad348fdc 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/DirContextPoolableObjectFactory.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/DirContextPoolableObjectFactory.java
@@ -273,10 +273,19 @@ class DirContextPoolableObjectFactory extends BaseKeyedPoolableObjectFactory {
             catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
                 Throwable targetException = e.getTargetException();
                 Class<? extends Throwable> targetExceptionClass = targetException.getClass();
-                if(nonTransientExceptions.contains(targetExceptionClass)) {
-                    logger.info(
-                            String.format("An %s - explicitly configured to be a non-transient exception - encountered; eagerly invalidating the target context.",
-                                    targetExceptionClass));
+
+                boolean nonTransientEncountered = false;
+                for (Class<? extends Throwable> clazz : nonTransientExceptions) {
+                    if(clazz.isAssignableFrom(targetExceptionClass)) {
+                        logger.info(
+                                String.format("An %s - explicitly configured to be a non-transient exception - encountered; eagerly invalidating the target context.",
+                                        targetExceptionClass));
+                        nonTransientEncountered = true;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if(nonTransientEncountered) {
                     hasFailed = true;
                 } else {
                     if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/PoolingContextSource.java b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/PoolingContextSource.java
index 283d106b..25b1a9df 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/PoolingContextSource.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/springframework/ldap/pool/factory/PoolingContextSource.java
@@ -379,10 +379,11 @@ public class PoolingContextSource implements ContextSource, DisposableBean {
 
     /**
      * Configure the exception classes that are to be interpreted as no-transient with regards to eager
-     * context invalidation. If one of the configured exceptions is thrown by any method on a pooled
-     * DirContext, that instance will immediately be marked as invalid without any additional testing
-     * (i.e. testOnReturn). This allows for more efficient management of dead connections. Default is
-     * {@link javax.naming.CommunicationException}.
+     * context invalidation. If one of the configured exceptions (or subclasses of them)
+     * is thrown by any method on a pooled DirContext, that instance will immediately be marked
+     * as invalid without any additional testing (i.e. testOnReturn).
+     * This allows for more efficient management of dead connections.
+     * Default is {@link javax.naming.CommunicationException}.
      *
      * @param nonTransientExceptions the exception classes that should be interpreted as non-transient
      *                               with regards to eager invalidation.
diff --git a/src/docbkx/pooling.xml b/src/docbkx/pooling.xml
index 5eca8f1e..4c1cf110 100644
--- a/src/docbkx/pooling.xml
+++ b/src/docbkx/pooling.xml
@@ -430,10 +430,10 @@
 
                         <entry>
                             The Exceptions that should be considered non-transient with
-                            regards to eager invalidation. Should any of the listed exceptions be
-                            thrown by a call to a pooled <literal>DirContext</literal> instance,
-                            that object will be automatically invalidated without any additional
-                            testOnReturn operation.
+                            regards to eager invalidation. Should any of the listed exceptions
+                            (or subclasses of them) be thrown by a call to a
+                            pooled <literal>DirContext</literal> instance, that object will be
+                            automatically invalidated without any additional testOnReturn operation.
                         </entry>
                     </row>
 				</tbody>