diff --git a/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java b/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java
index cfd07fa67..ac506ba7d 100644
--- a/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java
+++ b/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class ExceptionUtil {
 	 * @return the throwable instance of the given type, or null if nothing found.
 	 */
 	public static Throwable getThrowable(Throwable e, Class<? extends Throwable> toLookFor) {
-		if (e.getClass().equals(toLookFor)) {
+		if (e.getClass().isAssignableFrom(toLookFor)) {
 			return e;
 		}
 		
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public class ExceptionUtil {
 		while (parent != null && parent != e) {
 			cause = parent;
 			parent = cause.getCause();
-			if (cause.getClass().equals(toLookFor)) {
+			if (cause.getClass().isAssignableFrom(toLookFor)) {
 				return cause;
 			}
 		}