diff --git a/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSet.java b/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSet.java
index 35a7487f5b..d02e7bb9d8 100644
--- a/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSet.java
+++ b/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/RuleSet.java
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.benchmark.Benchmark;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.benchmark.Benchmarker;
@@ -29,6 +31,8 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.filter.Filters;
 //FUTURE Implement Cloneable and clone()
 public class RuleSet {
 
+    private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getLogger(RuleSet.class.getName());
+
 	private List<Rule> rules = new ArrayList<Rule>();
 	private String fileName;
 	private String name = "";
@@ -207,12 +211,18 @@ public class RuleSet {
 	public void apply(List<? extends Node> acuList, RuleContext ctx) {
 		long start = System.nanoTime();
 		for (Rule rule : rules) {
-			if (!rule.usesRuleChain() && applies(rule, ctx.getLanguageVersion())) {
-				rule.apply(acuList, ctx);
-				long end = System.nanoTime();
-				Benchmarker.mark(Benchmark.Rule, rule.getName(), end - start, 1);
-				start = end;
-			}
+            try {
+                if (!rule.usesRuleChain() && applies(rule, ctx.getLanguageVersion())) {
+                    rule.apply(acuList, ctx);
+                    long end = System.nanoTime();
+                    Benchmarker.mark(Benchmark.Rule, rule.getName(), end - start, 1);
+                    start = end;
+                }
+            } catch (ThreadDeath td) {
+                throw td;
+            } catch (Throwable t) {
+                LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Exception applying rule " + rule.getName() + ", continuing with next rule", t);
+            }
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolver.java b/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolver.java
index c1d070cf01..36cc7003c3 100644
--- a/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolver.java
+++ b/pmd/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/typeresolution/ClassTypeResolver.java
@@ -150,9 +150,7 @@ public class ClassTypeResolver extends JavaParserVisitorAdapter {
 			}
 		} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
 			LOG.log(Level.FINE, "Could not find class " + className + ", due to: " + e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getMessage());
-		} catch (NoClassDefFoundError e) {
-			LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Could not find class " + className + ", due to: " + e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getMessage());
-		} catch (ClassFormatError e) {
+		} catch (LinkageError e) {
 			LOG.log(Level.WARNING, "Could not find class " + className + ", due to: " + e.getClass().getName() + ": " + e.getMessage());
 		} finally {
 			populateImports(node);
@@ -636,9 +634,7 @@ public class ClassTypeResolver extends JavaParserVisitorAdapter {
 					myType = pmdClassLoader.loadClass(qualifiedName);
 				} catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
 					myType = processOnDemand(qualifiedName);
-				} catch (NoClassDefFoundError e) {
-					myType = processOnDemand(qualifiedName);
-				} catch (ClassFormatError e) {
+				} catch (LinkageError e) {
 					myType = processOnDemand(qualifiedName);
 				}
 			}