diff --git a/mjtest/test/exec_tests.py b/mjtest/test/exec_tests.py
index 67e67b6be6cdea6a22d5db5f719b7d7a722f5546..1e6a10a110f67282df5619a7eae8e9b3dcc130e1 100644
--- a/mjtest/test/exec_tests.py
+++ b/mjtest/test/exec_tests.py
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ class JavaExecTest(BasicSyntaxTest):
         except SigKill as sig:
             os.chdir(cwd)
             assert False
-        except:
+        except BaseException:
             os.chdir(cwd)
-            assert False
+            raise 
 
     def _check_hash_sum(self, file: str, hash_sum_file: str) -> bool:
         old_hash = ""