diff --git a/contrib/epee/include/misc_language.h b/contrib/epee/include/misc_language.h
index d5157365c..7e4eb337d 100644
--- a/contrib/epee/include/misc_language.h
+++ b/contrib/epee/include/misc_language.h
@@ -147,7 +147,8 @@ namespace misc_utils
     {}
     ~call_befor_die()
     {
-      m_func();
+      try { m_func(); }
+      catch (...) { /* ignore */ }
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/src/common/threadpool.cpp b/src/common/threadpool.cpp
index 5ea04a353..37825e31d 100644
--- a/src/common/threadpool.cpp
+++ b/src/common/threadpool.cpp
@@ -51,11 +51,19 @@ threadpool::threadpool(unsigned int max_threads) : running(true), active(0) {
 }
 
 threadpool::~threadpool() {
+  try
   {
     const boost::unique_lock<boost::mutex> lock(mutex);
     running = false;
     has_work.notify_all();
   }
+  catch (...)
+  {
+    // if the lock throws, we're just do it without a lock and hope,
+    // since the alternative is terminate
+    running = false;
+    has_work.notify_all();
+  }
   for (size_t i = 0; i<threads.size(); i++) {
     try { threads[i].join(); }
     catch (...) { /* ignore */ }
@@ -91,11 +99,13 @@ unsigned int threadpool::get_max_concurrency() const {
 
 threadpool::waiter::~waiter()
 {
+  try
   {
     boost::unique_lock<boost::mutex> lock(mt);
     if (num)
       MERROR("wait should have been called before waiter dtor - waiting now");
   }
+  catch (...) { /* ignore */ }
   try
   {
     wait(NULL);
diff --git a/tests/crypto/main.cpp b/tests/crypto/main.cpp
index e5406f771..cc3b53b83 100644
--- a/tests/crypto/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/crypto/main.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "warnings.h"
+#include "misc_log_ex.h"
 #include "crypto/crypto.h"
 #include "crypto/hash.h"
 #include "crypto-tests.h"
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ bool operator !=(const key_derivation &a, const key_derivation &b) {
 DISABLE_GCC_WARNING(maybe-uninitialized)
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   fstream input;
   string cmd;
   size_t test = 0;
@@ -266,4 +268,5 @@ error:
     error = true;
   }
   return error ? 1 : 0;
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/base58.cpp b/tests/fuzz/base58.cpp
index 49516dd83..a4857bdd1 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/base58.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/base58.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ int Base58Fuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   Base58Fuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/block.cpp b/tests/fuzz/block.cpp
index 2df77b046..eed3b94b2 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/block.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/block.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ int BlockFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   BlockFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/bulletproof.cpp b/tests/fuzz/bulletproof.cpp
index 2f4dfd0ea..2f3a2f8d1 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/bulletproof.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/bulletproof.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ int BulletproofFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   BulletproofFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/cold-outputs.cpp b/tests/fuzz/cold-outputs.cpp
index 59b59810c..488a3b931 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/cold-outputs.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/cold-outputs.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ int ColdOutputsFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   ColdOutputsFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/cold-transaction.cpp b/tests/fuzz/cold-transaction.cpp
index da33dc318..fa3041ba3 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/cold-transaction.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/cold-transaction.cpp
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ int ColdTransactionFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   ColdTransactionFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/http-client.cpp b/tests/fuzz/http-client.cpp
index cd52643d9..909325832 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/http-client.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/http-client.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ int HTTPClientFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   HTTPClientFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/levin.cpp b/tests/fuzz/levin.cpp
index 4ced1837f..d0c5803f5 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/levin.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/levin.cpp
@@ -341,7 +341,9 @@ int LevinFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   LevinFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/load_from_binary.cpp b/tests/fuzz/load_from_binary.cpp
index 8f96c454f..89f122902 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/load_from_binary.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/load_from_binary.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ int PortableStorageFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   PortableStorageFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/load_from_json.cpp b/tests/fuzz/load_from_json.cpp
index b0c1a9bf3..083555f7e 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/load_from_json.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/load_from_json.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ int PortableStorageFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   PortableStorageFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/parse_url.cpp b/tests/fuzz/parse_url.cpp
index 8812cf9c2..fb5754a70 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/parse_url.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/parse_url.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ int ParseURLFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   ParseURLFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/signature.cpp b/tests/fuzz/signature.cpp
index 6dadf960d..f82ada8b4 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/signature.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/signature.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ int SignatureFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   SignatureFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/fuzz/transaction.cpp b/tests/fuzz/transaction.cpp
index b3349c383..934bd4685 100644
--- a/tests/fuzz/transaction.cpp
+++ b/tests/fuzz/transaction.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ int TransactionFuzzer::run(const std::string &filename)
 
 int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   TransactionFuzzer fuzzer;
   return run_fuzzer(argc, argv, fuzzer);
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/net_load_tests/clt.cpp b/tests/net_load_tests/clt.cpp
index a65e02cab..4ae50d064 100644
--- a/tests/net_load_tests/clt.cpp
+++ b/tests/net_load_tests/clt.cpp
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ TEST_F(net_load_test_clt, permament_open_and_close_and_connections_closed_by_ser
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   tools::on_startup();
   epee::debug::get_set_enable_assert(true, false);
   //set up logging options
@@ -635,4 +636,5 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
   ::testing::InitGoogleTest(&argc, argv);
   return RUN_ALL_TESTS();
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }
diff --git a/tests/net_load_tests/srv.cpp b/tests/net_load_tests/srv.cpp
index 6518d9117..dc3772127 100644
--- a/tests/net_load_tests/srv.cpp
+++ b/tests/net_load_tests/srv.cpp
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ namespace
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
+  TRY_ENTRY();
   tools::on_startup();
   //set up logging options
   mlog_configure(mlog_get_default_log_path("net_load_tests_srv.log"), true);
@@ -233,4 +234,5 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
   if (!tcp_server.run_server(thread_count, true))
     return 2;
   return 0;
+  CATCH_ENTRY_L0("main", 1);
 }