diff --git a/src/solver/combined_solver.cpp b/src/solver/combined_solver.cpp
index 338a4a7da..858885d9d 100644
--- a/src/solver/combined_solver.cpp
+++ b/src/solver/combined_solver.cpp
@@ -212,11 +212,16 @@ public:
             else {
                 IF_VERBOSE(PS_VB_LVL, verbose_stream() << "(combined-solver \"using solver 2 (with timeout)\")\n";);            
                 aux_timeout_eh eh(m_solver2.get());
-                lbool r;
-                {
+                lbool r = l_undef;
+                try {
                     scoped_timer timer(m_inc_timeout, &eh);
                     r = m_solver2->check_sat(0, 0);
                 }
+                catch (z3_exception&) {
+                    if (!eh.m_canceled) {
+                        throw;
+                    }
+                }
                 if ((r != l_undef || !use_solver1_when_undef()) && !eh.m_canceled) {
                     return r;
                 }