diff --git a/aws-rds-cfn-test-common/src/main/java/software/amazon/rds/test/common/core/AbstractTestBase.java b/aws-rds-cfn-test-common/src/main/java/software/amazon/rds/test/common/core/AbstractTestBase.java
index 1908f5e4f..b5848c8d3 100644
--- a/aws-rds-cfn-test-common/src/main/java/software/amazon/rds/test/common/core/AbstractTestBase.java
+++ b/aws-rds-cfn-test-common/src/main/java/software/amazon/rds/test/common/core/AbstractTestBase.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import software.amazon.awssdk.awscore.AwsResponse;
 import software.amazon.awssdk.awscore.exception.AwsErrorDetails;
 import software.amazon.awssdk.awscore.exception.AwsServiceException;
+import software.amazon.cloudformation.exceptions.BaseHandlerException;
 import software.amazon.cloudformation.proxy.HandlerErrorCode;
 import software.amazon.cloudformation.proxy.OperationStatus;
 import software.amazon.cloudformation.proxy.ProgressEvent;
@@ -109,7 +110,12 @@ protected ProgressEvent<ModelT, ContextT> test_handleRequest_base(
         builder.clientRequestToken(newClientRequestToken());
         builder.stackId(newStackId());
 
-        final ProgressEvent<ModelT, ContextT> response = invokeHandleRequest(builder.build(), context);
+        ProgressEvent<ModelT, ContextT> response;
+        try {
+            response = invokeHandleRequest(builder.build(), context);
+        } catch (final BaseHandlerException e) {
+            response = ProgressEvent.defaultFailureHandler(e, e.getErrorCode());
+        }
         expect.accept(response);
 
         return response;
diff --git a/aws-rds-dbcluster/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbcluster/CreateHandlerTest.java b/aws-rds-dbcluster/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbcluster/CreateHandlerTest.java
index 947e6b053..642767fa4 100644
--- a/aws-rds-dbcluster/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbcluster/CreateHandlerTest.java
+++ b/aws-rds-dbcluster/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbcluster/CreateHandlerTest.java
@@ -720,16 +720,14 @@ public void handleRequest_CreateDBCluster_HandleException(
     public void handleRequest_CreateDBCluster_DBClusterInTerminalState() {
         final CallbackContext context = new CallbackContext();
 
-        Assertions.assertThatThrownBy(() -> {
-            test_handleRequest_base(
-                    context,
-                    () -> DBCLUSTER_ACTIVE.toBuilder()
-                            .status(DBClusterStatus.InaccessibleEncryptionCredentials.toString())
-                            .build(),
-                    () -> RESOURCE_MODEL,
-                    expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
-            );
-        }).isInstanceOf(CfnNotStabilizedException.class);
+        test_handleRequest_base(
+                context,
+                () -> DBCLUSTER_ACTIVE.toBuilder()
+                        .status(DBClusterStatus.InaccessibleEncryptionCredentials.toString())
+                        .build(),
+                () -> RESOURCE_MODEL,
+                expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
+        );
 
         verify(rdsProxy.client(), times(1)).createDBCluster(any(CreateDbClusterRequest.class));
     }
diff --git a/aws-rds-dbinstance/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbinstance/CreateHandlerTest.java b/aws-rds-dbinstance/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbinstance/CreateHandlerTest.java
index e6aee8b53..24589ffe8 100644
--- a/aws-rds-dbinstance/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbinstance/CreateHandlerTest.java
+++ b/aws-rds-dbinstance/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/dbinstance/CreateHandlerTest.java
@@ -1344,18 +1344,16 @@ public void handleRequest_CreateDBInstance_OptionGroupInTerminalState() {
         final CallbackContext context = new CallbackContext();
         context.setCreated(false);
 
-        Assertions.assertThatThrownBy(() -> {
-            test_handleRequest_base(
-                    context,
-                    () -> DB_INSTANCE_ACTIVE.toBuilder()
-                            .optionGroupMemberships(OptionGroupMembership.builder()
-                                    .status(OptionGroupStatus.Failed.toString())
-                                    .optionGroupName(OPTION_GROUP_NAME_MYSQL_DEFAULT)
-                                    .build()).build(),
-                    () -> RESOURCE_MODEL_BLDR().build(),
-                    expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
-            );
-        }).isInstanceOf(CfnNotStabilizedException.class);
+        test_handleRequest_base(
+                context,
+                () -> DB_INSTANCE_ACTIVE.toBuilder()
+                        .optionGroupMemberships(OptionGroupMembership.builder()
+                                .status(OptionGroupStatus.Failed.toString())
+                                .optionGroupName(OPTION_GROUP_NAME_MYSQL_DEFAULT)
+                                .build()).build(),
+                () -> RESOURCE_MODEL_BLDR().build(),
+                expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
+        );
 
         verify(rdsProxy.client(), times(1)).createDBInstance(any(CreateDbInstanceRequest.class));
     }
@@ -1365,18 +1363,16 @@ public void handleRequest_CreateDBInstance_DomainMembershipInTerminalState() {
         final CallbackContext context = new CallbackContext();
         context.setCreated(false);
 
-        Assertions.assertThatThrownBy(() -> {
-            test_handleRequest_base(
-                    context,
-                    () -> DB_INSTANCE_ACTIVE.toBuilder()
-                            .domainMemberships(DomainMembership.builder()
-                                    .status(DomainMembershipStatus.Failed.toString())
-                                    .domain("domain")
-                                    .build()).build(),
-                    () -> RESOURCE_MODEL_BLDR().build(),
-                    expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
-            );
-        }).isInstanceOf(CfnNotStabilizedException.class);
+        test_handleRequest_base(
+                context,
+                () -> DB_INSTANCE_ACTIVE.toBuilder()
+                        .domainMemberships(DomainMembership.builder()
+                                .status(DomainMembershipStatus.Failed.toString())
+                                .domain("domain")
+                                .build()).build(),
+                () -> RESOURCE_MODEL_BLDR().build(),
+                expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
+        );
 
         verify(rdsProxy.client(), times(1)).createDBInstance(any(CreateDbInstanceRequest.class));
     }
diff --git a/aws-rds-integration/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/integration/CreateHandlerTest.java b/aws-rds-integration/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/integration/CreateHandlerTest.java
index 167d12dd8..749b7bf7d 100644
--- a/aws-rds-integration/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/integration/CreateHandlerTest.java
+++ b/aws-rds-integration/src/test/java/software/amazon/rds/integration/CreateHandlerTest.java
@@ -160,19 +160,17 @@ public void handleRequest_CreateIntegration_withTerminalFailureState_returnFailu
         // Integration goes from CREATING -> ACTIVE, when everything is normal
         Queue<Integration> transitions = new ConcurrentLinkedQueue<>();
         transitions.add(INTEGRATION_CREATING);
-        Assertions.assertThatThrownBy(() ->
-                test_handleRequest_base(
-                    new CallbackContext(),
-                    () -> {
-                        if (transitions.size() > 0) {
-                            return transitions.remove();
-                        }
-                        return INTEGRATION_FAILED;
-                    },
-                    () -> INTEGRATION_ACTIVE_MODEL, // unused
-                    expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized) // unused
-              )
-        ).isInstanceOf(CfnNotStabilizedException.class);
+        test_handleRequest_base(
+            new CallbackContext(),
+            () -> {
+                if (transitions.size() > 0) {
+                    return transitions.remove();
+                }
+                return INTEGRATION_FAILED;
+            },
+            () -> INTEGRATION_ACTIVE_MODEL, // unused
+            expectFailed(HandlerErrorCode.NotStabilized)
+        );
 
         verify(rdsProxy.client(), times(1)).createIntegration(
                 ArgumentMatchers. <CreateIntegrationRequest>argThat(req -> Objects.equals(req.integrationName(), INTEGRATION_NAME) &&