diff --git a/src/libutil/error.cc b/src/libutil/error.cc
index 036e19e26..fd4f4efd1 100644
--- a/src/libutil/error.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/error.cc
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ void BaseError::addTrace(std::shared_ptr<Pos> && e, HintFmt hint, TracePrint pri
     err.traces.push_front(Trace { .pos = std::move(e), .hint = hint, .print = print });
 }
 
-void throwExceptionSelfCheck(){
+void throwExceptionSelfCheck()
+{
     // This is meant to be caught in initLibUtil()
-    throw SysError("C++ exception handling is broken. This would appear to be a problem with the way Nix was compiled and/or linked and/or loaded.");
+    throw Error("C++ exception handling is broken. This would appear to be a problem with the way Nix was compiled and/or linked and/or loaded.");
 }
 
 // c++ std::exception descendants must have a 'const char* what()' function.