diff --git a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpression.java b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpression.java
index 48a7ebf9..8e66c23a 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpression.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/main/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpression.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class OgnlExpression implements Expression {
 			} else {
 				throw new EvaluationException(context.getClass(), getExpressionString(),
 						"An OgnlException occurred getting the value for expression '" + getExpressionString()
-								+ "' on context [" + context.getClass() + "]", e.getReason());
+								+ "' on context [" + context.getClass() + "]", causeFor(e));
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -109,24 +109,11 @@ class OgnlExpression implements Expression {
 			} else {
 				throw new EvaluationException(context.getClass(), getExpressionString(),
 						"An OgnlException occurred setting the value of expression '" + getExpressionString()
-								+ "' on context [" + context.getClass() + "] to [" + value + "]", e.getReason());
+								+ "' on context [" + context.getClass() + "] to [" + value + "]", causeFor(e));
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	private TypeConverter createTypeConverter() {
-		return new TypeConverter() {
-			public Object convertValue(Map context, Object target, Member member, String propertyName, Object value,
-					Class toType) throws ValueCoercionException {
-				try {
-					return conversionService.executeConversion(value, toType);
-				} catch (ConversionException e) {
-					throw new ValueCoercionException(context.getClass(), expressionString, value, toType, e);
-				}
-			}
-		};
-	}
-
 	public Class getValueType(Object context) {
 		try {
 			// OGNL has no native way to get this information
@@ -144,6 +131,36 @@ class OgnlExpression implements Expression {
 		return expressionString;
 	}
 
+	// internal helpers
+
+	private Throwable causeFor(OgnlException e) {
+		if (e.getReason() != null) {
+			if (e.getCause() == null) {
+				try {
+					e.initCause(e.getReason());
+				} catch (IllegalStateException ex) {
+					// we tried
+				}
+			}
+			return e;
+		} else {
+			return e;
+		}
+	}
+
+	private TypeConverter createTypeConverter() {
+		return new TypeConverter() {
+			public Object convertValue(Map context, Object target, Member member, String propertyName, Object value,
+					Class toType) throws ValueCoercionException {
+				try {
+					return conversionService.executeConversion(value, toType);
+				} catch (ConversionException e) {
+					throw new ValueCoercionException(context.getClass(), expressionString, value, toType, e);
+				}
+			}
+		};
+	}
+
 	private Map getVariables(Object context) {
 		if (variableExpressions == null) {
 			return Collections.EMPTY_MAP;
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpressionParserTests.java b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpressionParserTests.java
index bd7b605f..10500e2e 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpressionParserTests.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/OgnlExpressionParserTests.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package org.springframework.binding.expression.ognl;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
+import org.springframework.binding.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.binding.expression.Expression;
 import org.springframework.binding.expression.ExpressionVariable;
 import org.springframework.binding.expression.ParserException;
@@ -215,4 +216,24 @@ public class OgnlExpressionParserTests extends TestCase {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public void testReasonCauseLinkingGetValue() {
+		String exp = "getException()";
+		Expression e = parser.parseExpression(exp, null);
+		try {
+			e.getValue(bean);
+		} catch (EvaluationException ex) {
+			assertTrue(ex.getCause().getCause() instanceof IllegalStateException);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public void testReasonCauseLinkingSetValue() {
+		String exp = "exceptionProperty";
+		Expression e = parser.parseExpression(exp, null);
+		try {
+			e.setValue(bean, "does not matter");
+		} catch (EvaluationException ex) {
+			assertTrue(ex.getCause().getCause() instanceof IllegalStateException);
+		}
+	}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/TestBean.java b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/TestBean.java
index 7c30d101..5ce43be7 100644
--- a/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/TestBean.java
+++ b/spring-binding/src/test/java/org/springframework/binding/expression/ognl/TestBean.java
@@ -61,4 +61,12 @@ public class TestBean {
 		this.date = date;
 	}
 
+	public Exception getException() {
+		throw new IllegalStateException("Test");
+	}
+
+	public void setExceptionProperty(String whatever) {
+		throw new IllegalStateException("Test");
+	}
+
 }