diff --git a/src/test/smt2print_parse.cpp b/src/test/smt2print_parse.cpp
index 765a78060..da4badf3e 100644
--- a/src/test/smt2print_parse.cpp
+++ b/src/test/smt2print_parse.cpp
@@ -64,26 +64,22 @@ void test_parseprint(char const* spec) {
     Z3_del_context(ctx);
 }
 
+static bool is_error = false;
+void setError(Z3_context c, Z3_error_code e) {
+    is_error = true;
+}
+
 void test_eval(Z3_context ctx, Z3_string spec, bool shouldFail) {
     std::cout << "spec:\n" << spec << "\n";
 
     std::string resp;
-    bool failed = false;
-    try {
-        resp = Z3_eval_smtlib2_string(ctx, spec);
-    }
-    catch (std::runtime_error& e) {
-        resp = e.what();
-        failed = true;
-    }
-    catch (...) {
-        resp = "unknown exception";
-        failed = true;
-    }
+    is_error = false;
+    resp = Z3_eval_smtlib2_string(ctx, spec);
 
-    std::cout << "response:\n" << resp << "\n";
+    if (!is_error)
+        std::cout << "response:\n" << resp << "\n";
 
-    if (shouldFail != failed) {
+    if (shouldFail != is_error) {
         if (shouldFail)
             throw std::runtime_error("should have failed");
         else
@@ -91,9 +87,6 @@ void test_eval(Z3_context ctx, Z3_string spec, bool shouldFail) {
     }
 }
 
-void throwError(Z3_context c, Z3_error_code e) {
-    throw std::runtime_error(Z3_get_error_msg(c, e));
-}
 
 void test_repeated_eval() {
     // Z3_eval_smtlib2_string reuses the parser and the scanner
@@ -142,7 +135,7 @@ void test_repeated_eval() {
         "(pop)\n";
 
     Z3_context ctx = Z3_mk_context(nullptr);
-    Z3_set_error_handler(ctx, throwError);
+    Z3_set_error_handler(ctx, setError);
     std::cout << "testing Z3_eval_smtlib2_string\n";
 
     try {