diff --git a/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Client.java b/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Client.java
index f179b6d2e..2a779f96c 100644
--- a/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Client.java
+++ b/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Client.java
@@ -155,7 +155,12 @@ public class Client implements Runnable {
       try {
         disconnectEventMethod.invoke(parent, this);
       } catch (Exception e) {
-        e.printStackTrace();
+        Throwable cause = e;
+        // unwrap the exception if it came from the user code
+        if (e instanceof InvocationTargetException && e.getCause() != null) {
+          cause = e.getCause();
+        }
+        cause.printStackTrace();
         disconnectEventMethod = null;
       }
     }
@@ -266,7 +271,12 @@ public class Client implements Runnable {
               clientEventMethod.invoke(parent, this);
             } catch (Exception e) {
               System.err.println("error, disabling clientEvent() for " + host);
-              e.printStackTrace();
+              Throwable cause = e;
+              // unwrap the exception if it came from the user code
+              if (e instanceof InvocationTargetException && e.getCause() != null) {
+                cause = e.getCause();
+              }
+              cause.printStackTrace();
               clientEventMethod = null;
             }
           }
diff --git a/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java b/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java
index 74345800c..f77b2e0c8 100644
--- a/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java
+++ b/java/libraries/net/src/processing/net/Server.java
@@ -308,7 +308,12 @@ public class Server implements Runnable {
               serverEventMethod.invoke(parent, this, client);
             } catch (Exception e) {
               System.err.println("Disabling serverEvent() for port " + port);
-              e.printStackTrace();
+              Throwable cause = e;
+              // unwrap the exception if it came from the user code
+              if (e instanceof InvocationTargetException && e.getCause() != null) {
+                cause = e.getCause();
+              }
+              cause.printStackTrace();
               serverEventMethod = null;
             }
           }