diff --git a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/ShortVariableRuleTest.java b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/ShortVariableRuleTest.java
index caacb67e18..3e697055b8 100644
--- a/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/ShortVariableRuleTest.java
+++ b/pmd/regress/test/net/sourceforge/pmd/rules/ShortVariableRuleTest.java
@@ -6,45 +6,11 @@ import net.sourceforge.pmd.rules.XPathRule;
 
 public class ShortVariableRuleTest extends SimpleAggregatorTst {
 
-    private static final String TEST1 =
-    "public class ShortVariableParam {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "    public static void main(String a[]) { // a should trigger it." + CPD.EOL +
-    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
-    "}";
-
-    private static final String TEST2 =
-    "public class ShortVariableNone {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "    public static void main(String args[]) {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "       int bugleDeWump = -1;" + CPD.EOL +
-    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
-    "}";
-
-    private static final String TEST3 =
-    "public class ShortVariableLocal {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "" + CPD.EOL +
-    "    public static void main(String args[]) {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "       int ab = -1; " + CPD.EOL +
-    "       // Should trigger ShortVariable rule." + CPD.EOL +
-    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
-    "}";
-
-    private static final String TEST4 =
-    "public class ShortVariableFor {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "    public static void main(String args[]) {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "       for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { } // Should NOT!! trigger." + CPD.EOL +
-    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
-    "}";
-
-    private static final String TEST5 =
-    "public class ShortVariableField {" + CPD.EOL +
-    "    private int qx; // Should cause a problem." + CPD.EOL +
-    "}";
-
     private Rule rule;
 
     public void setUp() {
         rule = new XPathRule();
-        rule.addProperty("xpath", "//VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) < 3][not(ancestor::ForInit)]");
+        rule.addProperty("xpath", "//VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) < 3][not(ancestor::ForInit)][not((ancestor::FormalParameter) and (ancestor::TryStatement))]");
     }
 
     public void testAll() {
@@ -54,6 +20,49 @@ public class ShortVariableRuleTest extends SimpleAggregatorTst {
            new TestDescriptor(TEST3, "local", 1, rule),
            new TestDescriptor(TEST4, "for", 0, rule),
            new TestDescriptor(TEST5, "field", 1, rule),
+           new TestDescriptor(TEST6, "catch(Exception e) is OK", 0, rule),
        });
     }
+
+    private static final String TEST1 =
+    "public class Foo {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    public static void main(String a[]) { // a should trigger it." + CPD.EOL +
+    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
+    "}";
+
+    private static final String TEST2 =
+    "public class Foo {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    public static void main(String args[]) {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "       int bugleDeWump = -1;" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
+    "}";
+
+    private static final String TEST3 =
+    "public class Foo {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    public static void main(String args[]) {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "       int ab = -1; " + CPD.EOL +
+    "       // Should trigger ShortVariable rule." + CPD.EOL +
+    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
+    "}";
+
+    private static final String TEST4 =
+    "public class Foo {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    public static void main(String args[]) {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "       for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { } // Should NOT!! trigger." + CPD.EOL +
+    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
+    "}";
+
+    private static final String TEST5 =
+    "public class Foo {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    private int qx; // Should cause a problem." + CPD.EOL +
+    "}";
+
+    private static final String TEST6 =
+    "public class Foo {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    private void bar() {" + CPD.EOL +
+    "     try {} catch (Exception e) {}" + CPD.EOL +
+    "    }" + CPD.EOL +
+    "}";
+
 }
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml b/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
index 813b513814..5441976f58 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/naming.xml
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ Detects when a field, local or parameter has a short name.
           <property name="xpath">
               <value>
                   <![CDATA[
-    //VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) < 3][not(ancestor::ForInit)]
+    //VariableDeclaratorId[string-length(@Image) < 3]
+     [not(ancestor::ForInit)]
+     [not((ancestor::FormalParameter) and (ancestor::TryStatement))]
                   ]]>
               </value>
           </property>