diff --git a/hystrix-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/hystrix/HystrixCommand.java b/hystrix-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/hystrix/HystrixCommand.java
index dee01958f..b20b4559d 100755
--- a/hystrix-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/hystrix/HystrixCommand.java
+++ b/hystrix-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/hystrix/HystrixCommand.java
@@ -819,7 +819,7 @@ public void call(Subscriber<? super R> observer) {
                         metrics.markShortCircuited();
                         // short-circuit and go directly to fallback (or throw an exception if no fallback implemented)
                         try {
-                            observer.onNext(getFallbackOrThrowException(HystrixEventType.SHORT_CIRCUITED, FailureType.SHORTCIRCUIT, "short-circuited"));
+                            observer.onNext(getFallbackOrThrowException(HystrixEventType.SHORT_CIRCUITED, FailureType.SHORTCIRCUIT, "short-circuited", new RuntimeException("Hystrix circuit short-circuited and is OPEN")));
                             observer.onCompleted();
                         } catch (Exception e) {
                             observer.onError(e);
@@ -1140,7 +1140,7 @@ private Subscription subscribeWithSemaphoreIsolation(final Observer<? super R> o
             metrics.markSemaphoreRejection();
             logger.debug("HystrixCommand Execution Rejection by Semaphore."); // debug only since we're throwing the exception and someone higher will do something with it
             // retrieve a fallback or throw an exception if no fallback available
-            observer.onNext(getFallbackOrThrowException(HystrixEventType.SEMAPHORE_REJECTED, FailureType.REJECTED_SEMAPHORE_EXECUTION, "could not acquire a semaphore for execution"));
+            observer.onNext(getFallbackOrThrowException(HystrixEventType.SEMAPHORE_REJECTED, FailureType.REJECTED_SEMAPHORE_EXECUTION, "could not acquire a semaphore for execution", new RuntimeException("could not acquire a semaphore for execution")));
             observer.onCompleted();
             // empty subscription since we executed synchronously
             return Subscriptions.empty();
@@ -1616,13 +1616,6 @@ private TryableSemaphore getExecutionSemaphore() {
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @throws HystrixRuntimeException
-     */
-    private R getFallbackOrThrowException(HystrixEventType eventType, FailureType failureType, String message) {
-        return getFallbackOrThrowException(eventType, failureType, message, null);
-    }
-
     /**
      * @throws HystrixRuntimeException
      */
@@ -6328,7 +6321,7 @@ public TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> call() {
                         public void call(TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> command) {
                             assertEquals(1, command.builder.executionHook.startExecute.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteSuccessResponse);
-                            assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException); //by design, ex=null in this case
+                            assertEquals(RuntimeException.class, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException.getClass());
                             assertEquals(FailureType.SHORTCIRCUIT, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureType);
                             assertEquals(0, command.builder.executionHook.startRun.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.runSuccessResponse);
@@ -6398,7 +6391,7 @@ public TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> call() {
                         public void call(TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> command) {
                             assertEquals(1, command.builder.executionHook.startExecute.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteSuccessResponse);
-                            assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException); //by design, ex=null in this case
+                            assertEquals(RuntimeException.class, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException.getClass());
                             assertEquals(FailureType.SHORTCIRCUIT, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureType);
                             assertEquals(0, command.builder.executionHook.startRun.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.runSuccessResponse);
@@ -6653,7 +6646,7 @@ public void run() {
                         public void call(TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> command) {
                             assertEquals(1, command.builder.executionHook.startExecute.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteSuccessResponse);
-                            assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException); //by design, null=ex in this case
+                            assertEquals(RuntimeException.class, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException.getClass());
                             assertEquals(FailureType.REJECTED_SEMAPHORE_EXECUTION, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureType);
                             assertEquals(0, command.builder.executionHook.startRun.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.runSuccessResponse);
@@ -6781,7 +6774,7 @@ public void run() {
                         public void call(TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> command) {
                             assertEquals(1, command.builder.executionHook.startExecute.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteSuccessResponse);
-                            assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException); //by design, ex=null in this case
+                            assertEquals(RuntimeException.class, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException.getClass());
                             assertEquals(FailureType.REJECTED_SEMAPHORE_EXECUTION, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureType);
                             assertEquals(0, command.builder.executionHook.startRun.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.runSuccessResponse);
@@ -6817,7 +6810,7 @@ public TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> call() {
                         public void call(TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> command) {
                             assertEquals(1, command.builder.executionHook.startExecute.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteSuccessResponse);
-                            assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException); //by design, ex=null in this case
+                            assertEquals(RuntimeException.class, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException.getClass());
                             assertEquals(FailureType.SHORTCIRCUIT, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureType);
                             assertEquals(0, command.builder.executionHook.startRun.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.runSuccessResponse);
@@ -6889,7 +6882,7 @@ public TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> call() {
                         public void call(TestHystrixCommand<Boolean> command) {
                             assertEquals(1, command.builder.executionHook.startExecute.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteSuccessResponse);
-                            assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException); //by design, ex=null in this case
+                            assertEquals(RuntimeException.class, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureException.getClass());
                             assertEquals(FailureType.SHORTCIRCUIT, command.builder.executionHook.endExecuteFailureType);
                             assertEquals(0, command.builder.executionHook.startRun.get());
                             assertNull(command.builder.executionHook.runSuccessResponse);