diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/XmlFile.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/XmlFile.java
index da450cf4cd..6ed07f8083 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/XmlFile.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/XmlFile.java
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ public final class XmlFile {
             throw new IOException2("Unable to read "+file,e);
         } catch(ConversionException e) {
             throw new IOException2("Unable to read "+file,e);
+        } catch(Error e) {// mostly reflection errors
+            throw new IOException2("Unable to read "+file,e);
         } finally {
             r.close();
         }
@@ -148,6 +150,8 @@ public final class XmlFile {
             throw new IOException2(e);
         } catch(ConversionException e) {
             throw new IOException2("Unable to read "+file,e);
+        } catch(Error e) {// mostly reflection errors
+            throw new IOException2("Unable to read "+file,e);
         } finally {
             r.close();
         }