diff --git a/addons/common/rest-exception-handler/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/resource/exceptions/BaseExceptionsHandler.java b/addons/common/rest-exception-handler/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/resource/exceptions/BaseExceptionsHandler.java
index cdd3b2ad524..3da864ee7eb 100644
--- a/addons/common/rest-exception-handler/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/resource/exceptions/BaseExceptionsHandler.java
+++ b/addons/common/rest-exception-handler/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/resource/exceptions/BaseExceptionsHandler.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
+import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.MessageException;
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.workitem.InvalidLifeCyclePhaseException;
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.workitem.InvalidTransitionException;
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.workitem.NotAuthorizedException;
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ public Function<Exception, Function<R, T>> getResponseGenerator() {
     }
 
     private final FunctionHolder<T, Exception> defaultHolder = new FunctionHolder<>(ex -> ex, ex -> BaseExceptionsHandler.this::internalError);
+    private final FunctionHolder<T, ?> messageFunctionHolder = new FunctionHolder<>(ex -> Collections.singletonMap(MESSAGE, ex.getMessage()), ex -> BaseExceptionsHandler.this::badRequest);
 
     protected BaseExceptionsHandler() {
         mapper = new HashMap<>();
@@ -144,8 +146,8 @@ protected BaseExceptionsHandler() {
         mapper.put(WorkItemExecutionException.class, new FunctionHolder<>(
                 ex -> Map.of(MESSAGE, ex.getMessage()),
                 ex -> fromErrorCode(((WorkItemExecutionException) ex).getErrorCode())));
-
-        mapper.put(IllegalArgumentException.class, new FunctionHolder<>(ex -> Collections.singletonMap(MESSAGE, ex.getMessage()), ex -> BaseExceptionsHandler.this::badRequest));
+        mapper.put(IllegalArgumentException.class, messageFunctionHolder);
+        mapper.put(MessageException.class, messageFunctionHolder);
     }
 
     private <R> Function<R, T> fromErrorCode(String errorCode) {
diff --git a/jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/MessageException.java b/api/kogito-api/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/internal/process/runtime/MessageException.java
similarity index 89%
rename from jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/MessageException.java
rename to api/kogito-api/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/internal/process/runtime/MessageException.java
index 823ada1cd1e..5aaccdc1cea 100644
--- a/jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/MessageException.java
+++ b/api/kogito-api/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/internal/process/runtime/MessageException.java
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
  * specific language governing permissions and limitations
  * under the License.
  */
-package org.jbpm.workflow.instance.impl;
+package org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime;
 
-public class MessageException extends IllegalArgumentException {
+public class MessageException extends RuntimeException {
     private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
 
     public MessageException(String message) {
diff --git a/jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/WorkflowProcessInstanceImpl.java b/jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/WorkflowProcessInstanceImpl.java
index cce8bfd6ae3..7ae6edf3fb1 100755
--- a/jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/WorkflowProcessInstanceImpl.java
+++ b/jbpm/jbpm-flow/src/main/java/org/jbpm/workflow/instance/impl/WorkflowProcessInstanceImpl.java
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.KogitoNodeInstanceContainer;
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.KogitoProcessInstance;
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.KogitoWorkflowProcess;
+import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.MessageException;
 import org.kie.kogito.jobs.DurationExpirationTime;
 import org.kie.kogito.jobs.JobsService;
 import org.kie.kogito.jobs.ProcessInstanceJobDescription;
diff --git a/kogito-serverless-workflow/kogito-serverless-workflow-runtime/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/serverless/workflow/actions/ErrorExpressionAction.java b/kogito-serverless-workflow/kogito-serverless-workflow-runtime/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/serverless/workflow/actions/ErrorExpressionAction.java
index efbbe4854d6..04a22c1e2c1 100644
--- a/kogito-serverless-workflow/kogito-serverless-workflow-runtime/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/serverless/workflow/actions/ErrorExpressionAction.java
+++ b/kogito-serverless-workflow/kogito-serverless-workflow-runtime/src/main/java/org/kie/kogito/serverless/workflow/actions/ErrorExpressionAction.java
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 
 import org.jbpm.process.instance.ProcessInstance;
 import org.jbpm.workflow.instance.NodeInstance;
-import org.jbpm.workflow.instance.impl.MessageException;
 import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.KogitoProcessContext;
+import org.kie.kogito.internal.process.runtime.MessageException;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;