diff --git a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/exceptions/Neo4jException.java b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/exceptions/Neo4jException.java
index 1cffc7b304..a9eaa5e12a 100644
--- a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/exceptions/Neo4jException.java
+++ b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/exceptions/Neo4jException.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
  *
  * @since 1.0
  */
-public abstract class Neo4jException extends RuntimeException {
+public class Neo4jException extends RuntimeException {
     private static final long serialVersionUID = -80579062276712566L;
 
     private final String code;
diff --git a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtil.java b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtil.java
index 71bda0cd87..e16570e332 100644
--- a/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtil.java
+++ b/driver/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtil.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
  */
 package org.neo4j.driver.internal.util;
 
-import io.netty.util.internal.PlatformDependent;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
@@ -115,7 +114,13 @@ public static void rethrowAsyncException(ExecutionException e) {
                 .toArray(StackTraceElement[]::new);
         error.setStackTrace(currentStackTrace);
 
-        PlatformDependent.throwException(error);
+        RuntimeException exception;
+        if (error instanceof RuntimeException) {
+            exception = (RuntimeException) error;
+        } else {
+            exception = new Neo4jException("Driver execution failed", error);
+        }
+        throw exception;
     }
 
     private static boolean isProtocolViolationError(Neo4jException error) {
diff --git a/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtilTest.java b/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtilTest.java
index 8a1e25eef4..21d0e21419 100644
--- a/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtilTest.java
+++ b/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/ErrorUtilTest.java
@@ -24,12 +24,18 @@
 import static org.hamcrest.junit.MatcherAssert.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrows;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+import static org.mockito.BDDMockito.given;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.neo4j.driver.internal.util.ErrorUtil.isFatal;
 import static org.neo4j.driver.internal.util.ErrorUtil.newConnectionTerminatedError;
 import static org.neo4j.driver.internal.util.ErrorUtil.newNeo4jError;
+import static org.neo4j.driver.internal.util.ErrorUtil.rethrowAsyncException;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.neo4j.driver.exceptions.AuthenticationException;
 import org.neo4j.driver.exceptions.AuthorizationExpiredException;
@@ -195,4 +201,16 @@ void shouldMapTransientTransactionLockClientStoppedToClientException() {
         assertEquals("Neo.ClientError.Transaction.LockClientStopped", error.code());
         assertEquals(message, error.getMessage());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    void shouldWrapCheckedExceptionsInNeo4jExceptionWhenRethrowingAsyncException() {
+        ExecutionException ee = mock(ExecutionException.class);
+        UnknownHostException uhe = mock(UnknownHostException.class);
+        given(ee.getCause()).willReturn(uhe);
+        given(uhe.getStackTrace()).willReturn(new StackTraceElement[0]);
+
+        Neo4jException actual = assertThrows(Neo4jException.class, () -> rethrowAsyncException(ee));
+
+        assertEquals(actual.getCause(), uhe);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/FuturesTest.java b/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/FuturesTest.java
index b6256e2c77..01254def71 100644
--- a/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/FuturesTest.java
+++ b/driver/src/test/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/util/FuturesTest.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.neo4j.driver.exceptions.Neo4jException;
 import org.neo4j.driver.internal.async.connection.EventLoopGroupFactory;
 
 class FuturesTest {
@@ -177,8 +178,8 @@ void shouldThrowInBlockingGetWhenFutureThrowsCheckedException() {
         CompletableFuture<String> future = new CompletableFuture<>();
         future.completeExceptionally(error);
 
-        Exception e = assertThrows(Exception.class, () -> Futures.blockingGet(future));
-        assertEquals(error, e);
+        Neo4jException e = assertThrows(Neo4jException.class, () -> Futures.blockingGet(future));
+        assertEquals(error, e.getCause());
     }
 
     @Test