diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java
index ec0cfe6b8f3..2c8119bfe44 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/recovery/RecoveryTarget.java
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ public class RecoveryTarget extends AbstractComponent {
         logger.trace("will retrying recovery with id [{}] in [{}] (reason [{}])", recoveryStatus.recoveryId(), retryAfter, reason);
         try {
             recoveryStatus.resetRecovery();
-        } catch (IOException e) {
+        } catch (Throwable e) {
             onGoingRecoveries.failRecovery(recoveryStatus.recoveryId(), new RecoveryFailedException(currentRequest, e), true);
         }
         threadPool.schedule(retryAfter, ThreadPool.Names.GENERIC, new RecoveryRunner(recoveryStatus.recoveryId()));