diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 2f21cfe7f..87b10d702 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -383,6 +383,8 @@ lazy val commandProj = (project in file("main-command"))
       // Replace nailgun socket stuff
       exclude[MissingClassProblem]("sbt.internal.NG*"),
       exclude[MissingClassProblem]("sbt.internal.ReferenceCountedFileDescriptor"),
+      // made private[sbt] method private[this]
+      exclude[DirectMissingMethodProblem]("sbt.State.handleException"),
     ),
     unmanagedSources in (Compile, headerCreate) := {
       val old = (unmanagedSources in (Compile, headerCreate)).value
diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/State.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/State.scala
index eb15168fe..a3e178dc6 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/State.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/State.scala
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ object State {
 
   import ExceptionCategory._
 
-  private[sbt] def handleException(t: Throwable, s: State, log: Logger): State = {
+  private[this] def handleException(t: Throwable, s: State, log: Logger): State = {
     ExceptionCategory(t) match {
       case AlreadyHandled => ()
       case m: MessageOnly => log.error(m.message)
diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/Watched.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/Watched.scala
index 5424c8d7b..fad1b6a8d 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/Watched.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/Watched.scala
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ object Watched {
         (triggered, newWatchState)
       } catch {
         case e: Exception =>
-          val log = s.log
-          log.error("Error occurred obtaining files to watch.  Terminating continuous execution...")
-          State.handleException(e, s, log)
+          s.log.error(
+            "Error occurred obtaining files to watch.  Terminating continuous execution...")
+          s.handleError(e)
           (false, watchState)
       }