diff --git a/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/Attr.java b/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/Attr.java
index 284b0f09e5f47..6c1a8b0dd5ed7 100644
--- a/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/Attr.java
+++ b/src/jdk.compiler/share/classes/com/sun/tools/javac/comp/Attr.java
@@ -1827,7 +1827,8 @@ private void handleSwitch(JCTree switchTree,
                                 unguarded &&
                                 !patternType.isErroneous() &&
                                 types.isSubtype(types.boxedTypeOrType(types.erasure(expectedType)),
-                                                patternType);
+                                                patternType) &&
+                                !c.throwsCase; //TODO: there should be two distinct "unconditional" checks, one for "normal" cases, one for "exceptional" cases
                         if (unconditional) {
                             if (hasUnconditionalPattern) {
                                 log.error(pat.pos(), Errors.DuplicateUnconditionalPattern);