diff --git a/include/mruby/internal.h b/include/mruby/internal.h
index 4365b4f50..f2e8ade6e 100644
--- a/include/mruby/internal.h
+++ b/include/mruby/internal.h
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ mrb_value mrb_mod_class_variables(mrb_state*, mrb_value);
 mrb_value mrb_mod_cv_get(mrb_state *mrb, struct RClass * c, mrb_sym sym);
 mrb_bool mrb_mod_cv_defined(mrb_state *mrb, struct RClass * c, mrb_sym sym);
 mrb_bool mrb_ident_p(const char *s, mrb_int len);
+mrb_value mrb_exc_const_get(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_sym sym);
 
 /* GC functions */
 void mrb_gc_mark_gv(mrb_state*);
diff --git a/src/class.c b/src/class.c
index 8b5eee766..6c82ad218 100644
--- a/src/class.c
+++ b/src/class.c
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ mrb_class_get_id(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_sym name)
 MRB_API struct RClass*
 mrb_exc_get_id(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_sym name)
 {
-  mrb_value c = mrb_const_get(mrb, mrb_obj_value(mrb->object_class), name);
+  mrb_value c = mrb_exc_const_get(mrb, name);
 
   if (!mrb_class_p(c)) {
     mrb_raise(mrb, E_EXCEPTION, "exception corrupted");
@@ -670,7 +670,9 @@ mrb_exc_get_id(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_sym name)
     if (e == E_EXCEPTION)
       return exc;
   }
-  return E_EXCEPTION;
+  mrb_raise(mrb, E_EXCEPTION, "non-exception raised");
+  /* not reached */
+  return NULL;
 }
 
 MRB_API struct RClass*
diff --git a/src/variable.c b/src/variable.c
index d224a5a34..ee857140b 100644
--- a/src/variable.c
+++ b/src/variable.c
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ mod_const_check(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value mod)
 }
 
 static mrb_value
-const_get(mrb_state *mrb, struct RClass *base, mrb_sym sym, mrb_bool skip)
+const_get_nohook(mrb_state *mrb, struct RClass *base, mrb_sym sym, mrb_bool skip)
 {
   struct RClass *c = base;
   mrb_value v;
@@ -785,12 +785,30 @@ L_RETRY:
     retry = TRUE;
     goto L_RETRY;
   }
-  mrb_value mod = mrb_obj_value(base);
-  if (mrb_func_basic_p(mrb, mod, MRB_SYM(const_missing), mrb_mod_const_missing)) {
-    return mrb_const_missing(mrb, mod, sym);
+  return mrb_undef_value();
+}
+
+static mrb_value
+const_get(mrb_state *mrb, struct RClass *base, mrb_sym sym, mrb_bool skip)
+{
+  mrb_value v = const_get_nohook(mrb, base, sym, skip);
+
+  /* call const_missing hook */
+  if (mrb_undef_p(v)) {
+    mrb_value mod = mrb_obj_value(base);
+    if (mrb_func_basic_p(mrb, mod, MRB_SYM(const_missing), mrb_mod_const_missing)) {
+      return mrb_const_missing(mrb, mod, sym);
+    }
+    mrb_value name = mrb_symbol_value(sym);
+    return mrb_funcall_argv(mrb, mod, MRB_SYM(const_missing), 1, &name);
   }
-  mrb_value name = mrb_symbol_value(sym);
-  return mrb_funcall_argv(mrb, mod, MRB_SYM(const_missing), 1, &name);
+  return v;
+}
+
+mrb_value
+mrb_exc_const_get(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_sym sym)
+{
+  return const_get_nohook(mrb, mrb->object_class, sym, FALSE);
 }
 
 MRB_API mrb_value