diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java
index 0da295f7a..1e1bd5b47 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/runner/Runner.java
@@ -747,6 +747,12 @@ public class Runner implements MessageConsumer {
       // This shouldn't happen, but if it does, print the exception in case
       // it's something that needs to be debugged separately.
       e.printStackTrace(sketchErr);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      // stack overflows seem to trip in frame.location() above
+      // ignore this case so that the actual error gets reported to the user
+      if ("StackOverflowError".equals(message) == false) {
+        e.printStackTrace(sketchErr);
+      }
     }
     // before giving up, try to extract from the throwable object itself
     // since sometimes exceptions are re-thrown from a different context
@@ -778,7 +784,11 @@ public class Runner implements MessageConsumer {
       or.invokeMethod(thread, method, new ArrayList<Value>(), ObjectReference.INVOKE_SINGLE_THREADED);
 
     } catch (Exception e) {
-      e.printStackTrace(sketchErr);
+      // stack overflows will make the exception handling above trip again
+      // ignore this case so that the actual error gets reported to the user
+      if ("StackOverflowError".equals(message) == false) {
+        e.printStackTrace(sketchErr);
+      }
     }
     // Give up, nothing found inside the pile of stack frames
     SketchException rex = new SketchException(message);