diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/HttpResponses.java b/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/HttpResponses.java
index 4529fd811..aa8a8a97e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/HttpResponses.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/HttpResponses.java
@@ -137,6 +137,29 @@ public void generateResponse(StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse rsp, Object nod
         };
     }
 
+    /**
+     * A runtime exception which honors a defined response.
+     */
+    public static HttpResponseException wrap(HttpResponse delegate) {
+        if (delegate instanceof Throwable) {
+            return new HttpResponseException(((Throwable) delegate).getMessage(), (Throwable) delegate) {
+                @Override
+                public void generateResponse(StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse rsp, Object node)
+                        throws IOException, ServletException {
+                    delegate.generateResponse(req, rsp, node);
+                }
+            };
+        } else {
+            return new HttpResponseException() {
+                @Override
+                public void generateResponse(StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse rsp, Object node)
+                        throws IOException, ServletException {
+                    delegate.generateResponse(req, rsp, node);
+                }
+            };
+        }
+    }
+
     public static HttpResponseException redirectViaContextPath(String relative) {
         return redirectViaContextPath(HttpServletResponse.SC_MOVED_TEMPORARILY, relative);
     }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/RequestImpl.java b/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/RequestImpl.java
index 557ac11bc..12ae78720 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/RequestImpl.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/kohsuke/stapler/RequestImpl.java
@@ -671,6 +671,10 @@ private <T> T invokeConstructor(Constructor<T> c, Object[] args) {
             if (x instanceof RuntimeException) {
                 throw (RuntimeException) x;
             }
+            // TODO apply similar logic to other catchers of InvocationTargetException as needed
+            if (x instanceof HttpResponse) {
+                throw HttpResponses.wrap((HttpResponse) x);
+            }
             throw new IllegalArgumentException(x);
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Failed to invoke " + c + " with " + Arrays.asList(args), e);