diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathIllegalArgumentException.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathIllegalArgumentException.java
index 8e5d45bd2..43f8ed34a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathIllegalArgumentException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathIllegalArgumentException.java
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ public class MathIllegalArgumentException extends IllegalArgumentException {
      * Get the message in a specified locale.
      *
      * @param locale Locale in which the message should be translated.
-     *
      * @return the localized message.
      */
     public String getMessage(final Locale locale) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathUserException.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathUserException.java
index 44e7c8066..4566d515e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathUserException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/MathUserException.java
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@
  */
 package org.apache.commons.math.exception;
 
+import java.util.Locale;
+
+import org.apache.commons.math.exception.util.ArgUtils;
+import org.apache.commons.math.exception.util.MessageFactory;
+import org.apache.commons.math.exception.util.Localizable;
+import org.apache.commons.math.exception.util.LocalizedFormats;
+
 /**
  * This class is intended as a sort of communication channel between
  * layers of <em>user</em> code separated from each other by calls to
@@ -26,31 +33,67 @@ package org.apache.commons.math.exception;
  * @version $Revision$ $Date$
  */
 public class MathUserException extends RuntimeException {
+    /** Serializable version Id. */
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = -6024911025449780478L;
+    /**
+     * Pattern used to build the message (problem description).
+     */
+    private final Localizable pattern;
+    /**
+     * Arguments used to build the message.
+     */
+    private final Object[] arguments;
+
     /**
      * Default constructor.
      */
-    public MathUserException() {}
-
-    /**
-     * @param msg Error message.
-     */
-    public MathUserException(String msg) {
-        super(msg);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @param msg Error message.
-     * @param cause Cause of the error.
-     */
-    public MathUserException(String msg,
-                             Throwable cause) {
-        super(msg, cause);
+    public MathUserException() {
+        this(null);
     }
 
     /**
      * @param cause Cause of the error.
+     * @param args Arguments.
      */
-    public MathUserException(Throwable cause) {
-        super(cause);
+    public MathUserException(Throwable cause,
+                             Object ... args) {
+        this(null, cause, args);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param pattern Message pattern explaining the cause of the error.
+     * @param cause Cause of the error.
+     * @param args Arguments.
+     */
+    public MathUserException(Localizable pattern,
+                             Throwable cause,
+                             Object ... args) {
+        this.pattern  = pattern;
+        arguments = ArgUtils.flatten(args);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the message in a specified locale.
+     *
+     * @param locale Locale in which the message should be translated.
+     * @return the localized message.
+     */
+    public String getMessage(final Locale locale) {
+        return MessageFactory.buildMessage(locale,
+                                           pattern,
+                                           LocalizedFormats.USER_EXCEPTION,
+                                           arguments);
+    }
+
+   /** {@inheritDoc} */
+    @Override
+    public String getMessage() {
+        return getMessage(Locale.US);
+    }
+
+    /** {@inheritDoc} */
+    @Override
+    public String getLocalizedMessage() {
+        return getMessage(Locale.getDefault());
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/util/LocalizedFormats.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/util/LocalizedFormats.java
index 38cd766c0..8cb9ab1cc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/util/LocalizedFormats.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/math/exception/util/LocalizedFormats.java
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ public enum LocalizedFormats implements Localizable {
     UNPARSEABLE_REAL_VECTOR("unparseable real vector: \"{0}\""),
     UNSUPPORTED_EXPANSION_MODE("unsupported expansion mode {0}, supported modes are {1} ({2}) and {3} ({4})"),
     UNSUPPORTED_OPERATION("unsupported operation"), /* keep */
+    USER_EXCEPTION("exception generated in user code"), /* keep */
     URL_CONTAINS_NO_DATA("URL {0} contains no data"),
     VALUES_ADDED_BEFORE_CONFIGURING_STATISTIC("{0} values have been added before statistic is configured"),
     VECTOR_LENGTH_MISMATCH("vector length mismatch: got {0} but expected {1}"),
diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/localization/LocalizedFormats_fr.properties b/src/main/resources/META-INF/localization/LocalizedFormats_fr.properties
index c5be758c4..e2b9d12d9 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/localization/LocalizedFormats_fr.properties
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/localization/LocalizedFormats_fr.properties
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ UNPARSEABLE_FRACTION_NUMBER = nombre fractionnaire non analysable : "{0}"
 UNPARSEABLE_REAL_VECTOR = vecteur r\u00e9el non analysable : "{0}"
 UNSUPPORTED_EXPANSION_MODE = mode d''extension {0} non support\u00e9, les modes support\u00e9s sont {1} ({2}) et {3} ({4})
 UNSUPPORTED_OPERATION = op\u00e9ration non disponible
+USER_EXCEPTION = erreur g\u00e9n\u00e9r\u00e9e par le code utilisateur
 URL_CONTAINS_NO_DATA = l''adresse {0} ne contient aucune donn\u00e9e
 VALUES_ADDED_BEFORE_CONFIGURING_STATISTIC = {0} valeurs ont \u00e9t\u00e9 ajout\u00e9es 
 VECTOR_LENGTH_MISMATCH = taille de vecteur invalide : {0} au lieu de {1} attendue