diff --git a/lib/puppet/parser/functions/validate_cmd.rb b/lib/puppet/parser/functions/validate_cmd.rb
index c855c7e20..c6136a579 100644
--- a/lib/puppet/parser/functions/validate_cmd.rb
+++ b/lib/puppet/parser/functions/validate_cmd.rb
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ module Puppet::Parser::Functions
     rescue Puppet::ExecutionFailure => detail
       msg += "\n#{detail}"
       raise Puppet::ParseError, msg
-    rescue SystemCallError => detail
-      msg += "\nWin32::Process::SystemCallError #{detail}"
+    rescue Exception => detail
+      msg += "\n#{detail.class.name} #{detail}"
       raise Puppet::ParseError, msg
     ensure
       tmpfile.unlink
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/validate_cmd_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/validate_cmd_spec.rb
index a899a1d52..5ac66fdbf 100755
--- a/spec/acceptance/validate_cmd_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/validate_cmd_spec.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@
       validate_cmd($one,$two,"aoeu is dvorak")
       EOS
 
-      expect(apply_manifest(pp, :expect_failures => true).stderr).to match(/aoeu is dvorak/)
+      apply_manifest(pp, :expect_failures => true) do |output|
+        expect(output.stderr).to match(/aoeu is dvorak/)
+      end
     end
   end
   describe 'failure' do