diff --git a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp
index 8d99e3d0..26f727a9 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp
+++ b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "catch_context.h"
 #include "catch_debugger.h"
 #include "catch_interfaces_registry_hub.h"
+#include "catch_matchers_string.h"
 
 #include <cassert>
 
@@ -140,5 +141,14 @@ namespace Catch {
         m_inExceptionGuard = false;
     }
 
+    using StringMatcher = Matchers::Impl::MatcherBase<std::string>;
+
+    void handleExceptionMatchExpr( AssertionHandler& handler, StringMatcher const& matcher, StringRef matcherString  ) {
+        MatchExpr<std::string, StringMatcher const&> expr( Catch::translateActiveException(), matcher, matcherString );
+        handler.handle( expr );
+    }
+    void handleExceptionMatchExpr( AssertionHandler& handler, std::string const& str, StringRef matcherString  ) {
+        handleExceptionMatchExpr( handler, Matchers::Equals( str ), matcherString );
+    }
 
 } // namespace Catch
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h
index dbbd5157..21a09875 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h
+++ b/include/internal/catch_assertionhandler.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include "catch_decomposer.h"
 #include "catch_assertioninfo.h"
+#include "catch_matchers_string.h" // !TBD: for exception matchers
 
 namespace Catch {
 
@@ -67,6 +68,11 @@ namespace Catch {
         void unsetExceptionGuard();
     };
 
+    using StringMatcher = Matchers::Impl::MatcherBase<std::string>;
+
+    void handleExceptionMatchExpr( AssertionHandler& handler, StringMatcher const& matcher, StringRef matcherString  );
+    void handleExceptionMatchExpr( AssertionHandler& handler, std::string const& str, StringRef matcherString );
+
 } // namespace Catch
 
 #endif // TWOBLUECUBES_CATCH_ASSERTIONHANDLER_H_INCLUDED
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp b/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp
index ee63e044..6615edf1 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp
+++ b/include/internal/catch_capture.hpp
@@ -159,18 +159,18 @@
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 #define INTERNAL_CATCH_THROWS_STR_MATCHES( macroName, resultDisposition, matcher, ... ) \
     do { \
-        Catch::ResultBuilder __catchResult( macroName, CATCH_INTERNAL_LINEINFO, #__VA_ARGS__ ", " #matcher, resultDisposition); \
-        if( __catchResult.allowThrows() ) \
+        Catch::AssertionHandler catchAssertionHandler( macroName, CATCH_INTERNAL_LINEINFO, #__VA_ARGS__ ", " #matcher, resultDisposition ); \
+        if( catchAssertionHandler.allowThrows() ) \
             try { \
                 static_cast<void>(__VA_ARGS__); \
-                __catchResult.captureResult( Catch::ResultWas::DidntThrowException ); \
+                catchAssertionHandler.handle( Catch::ResultWas::DidntThrowException ); \
             } \
             catch( ... ) { \
-                __catchResult.captureExpectedException( matcher ); \
+                handleExceptionMatchExpr( catchAssertionHandler, matcher, #matcher ); \
             } \
         else \
-            __catchResult.captureResult( Catch::ResultWas::Ok ); \
-        INTERNAL_CATCH_REACT( __catchResult ) \
+            catchAssertionHandler.handle( Catch::ResultWas::Ok ); \
+        INTERNAL_CATCH_REACT2( catchAssertionHandler ) \
     } while( Catch::alwaysFalse() )
 
 
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_decomposer.cpp b/include/internal/catch_decomposer.cpp
index 6e69bc43..f7da22b5 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_decomposer.cpp
+++ b/include/internal/catch_decomposer.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 namespace Catch {
 
     void formatReconstructedExpression( std::ostream &os, std::string const& lhs, std::string const& op, std::string const& rhs ) {
-
         if( lhs.size() + rhs.size() < 40 &&
                 lhs.find('\n') == std::string::npos &&
                 rhs.find('\n') == std::string::npos )
@@ -20,4 +19,4 @@ namespace Catch {
         else
             os << lhs << "\n" << op << "\n" << rhs;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/include/internal/catch_decomposer.h b/include/internal/catch_decomposer.h
index f289387a..3182b84a 100644
--- a/include/internal/catch_decomposer.h
+++ b/include/internal/catch_decomposer.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include "catch_tostring.h"
 #include "catch_stringref.h"
+#include "catch_matchers.hpp" // !TBD: for exception matchers - move this
 
 #include <ostream>
 
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ namespace Catch {
     template<typename ArgT, typename MatcherT>
     class MatchExpr : public ITransientExpression {
         ArgT const& m_arg;
-        MatcherT const& m_matcher;
+        MatcherT m_matcher;
         StringRef m_matcherString;
         bool m_result;
     public:
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ namespace Catch {
                 os << matcherAsString;
         }
     };
+
     template<typename ArgT, typename MatcherT>
     auto makeMatchExpr( ArgT const& arg, MatcherT const& matcher, StringRef matcherString  ) -> MatchExpr<ArgT, MatcherT> {
         return MatchExpr<ArgT, MatcherT>( arg, matcher, matcherString );
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt
index 9e41f7f5..cd406b0c 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.std.approved.txt
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>: FAILED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), "should fail" )
 with expansion:
-  expected exception
+  "expected exception" equals: "should fail"
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Nice descriptive name
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt
index 971c0e32..80fd38c9 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/console.sw.approved.txt
@@ -1428,6 +1428,8 @@ ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), "expected exception" )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" equals: "expected exception"
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Exception messages can be tested for
@@ -1439,6 +1441,8 @@ ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), Equals( "expecteD Exception", Catch::CaseSensitive::No ) )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" equals: "expected exception" (case insensitive)
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Exception messages can be tested for
@@ -1450,18 +1454,26 @@ ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), StartsWith( "expected" ) )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" starts with: "expected"
 
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), EndsWith( "exception" ) )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" ends with: "exception"
 
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), Contains( "except" ) )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" contains: "except"
 
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), Contains( "exCept", Catch::CaseSensitive::No ) )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" contains: "except" (case insensitive)
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Expected exceptions that don't throw or unexpected exceptions fail the test
@@ -1882,11 +1894,13 @@ ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>:
 PASSED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), "expected exception" )
+with expansion:
+  "expected exception" equals: "expected exception"
 
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>: FAILED:
   REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH( thisThrows(), "should fail" )
 with expansion:
-  expected exception
+  "expected exception" equals: "should fail"
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Nice descriptive name
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt
index 58807c18..3a1ebdab 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/junit.sw.approved.txt
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ MatchersTests.cpp:<line number>
       </failure>
     </testcase>
     <testcase classname="<exe-name>.global" name="Mismatching exception messages failing the test" time="{duration}">
-      <failure message="expected exception" type="REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH">
+      <failure message="&quot;expected exception&quot; equals: &quot;should fail&quot;" type="REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH">
 ExceptionTests.cpp:<line number>
       </failure>
     </testcase>
diff --git a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt
index e70ad12e..9cec8235 100644
--- a/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt
+++ b/projects/SelfTest/Baselines/xml.sw.approved.txt
@@ -1646,7 +1646,7 @@
             thisThrows(), "expected exception"
           </Original>
           <Expanded>
-            thisThrows(), "expected exception"
+            "expected exception" equals: "expected exception"
           </Expanded>
         </Expression>
         <OverallResults successes="1" failures="0" expectedFailures="0"/>
@@ -1657,7 +1657,7 @@
             thisThrows(), Equals( "expecteD Exception", Catch::CaseSensitive::No )
           </Original>
           <Expanded>
-            thisThrows(), Equals( "expecteD Exception", Catch::CaseSensitive::No )
+            "expected exception" equals: "expected exception" (case insensitive)
           </Expanded>
         </Expression>
         <OverallResults successes="1" failures="0" expectedFailures="0"/>
@@ -1668,7 +1668,7 @@
             thisThrows(), StartsWith( "expected" )
           </Original>
           <Expanded>
-            thisThrows(), StartsWith( "expected" )
+            "expected exception" starts with: "expected"
           </Expanded>
         </Expression>
         <Expression success="true" type="REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH" filename="projects/<exe-name>/ExceptionTests.cpp" >
@@ -1676,7 +1676,7 @@
             thisThrows(), EndsWith( "exception" )
           </Original>
           <Expanded>
-            thisThrows(), EndsWith( "exception" )
+            "expected exception" ends with: "exception"
           </Expanded>
         </Expression>
         <Expression success="true" type="REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH" filename="projects/<exe-name>/ExceptionTests.cpp" >
@@ -1684,7 +1684,7 @@
             thisThrows(), Contains( "except" )
           </Original>
           <Expanded>
-            thisThrows(), Contains( "except" )
+            "expected exception" contains: "except"
           </Expanded>
         </Expression>
         <Expression success="true" type="REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH" filename="projects/<exe-name>/ExceptionTests.cpp" >
@@ -1692,7 +1692,7 @@
             thisThrows(), Contains( "exCept", Catch::CaseSensitive::No )
           </Original>
           <Expanded>
-            thisThrows(), Contains( "exCept", Catch::CaseSensitive::No )
+            "expected exception" contains: "except" (case insensitive)
           </Expanded>
         </Expression>
         <OverallResults successes="4" failures="0" expectedFailures="0"/>
@@ -2172,7 +2172,7 @@
           thisThrows(), "expected exception"
         </Original>
         <Expanded>
-          thisThrows(), "expected exception"
+          "expected exception" equals: "expected exception"
         </Expanded>
       </Expression>
       <Expression success="false" type="REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH" filename="projects/<exe-name>/ExceptionTests.cpp" >
@@ -2180,7 +2180,7 @@
           thisThrows(), "should fail"
         </Original>
         <Expanded>
-          expected exception
+          "expected exception" equals: "should fail"
         </Expanded>
       </Expression>
       <OverallResult success="false"/>