diff --git a/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.native.jvm.posix/src/JvmFuncs.c b/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.native.jvm.posix/src/JvmFuncs.c
index ad62c918051e..9f20147f7f55 100644
--- a/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.native.jvm.posix/src/JvmFuncs.c
+++ b/substratevm/src/com.oracle.svm.native.jvm.posix/src/JvmFuncs.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
-#include <sys/poll.h>
+#include <poll.h>
 #include <netdb.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <dlfcn.h>
@@ -311,10 +311,15 @@ JNIEXPORT jobject JNICALL JVM_DoPrivileged(JNIEnv *env, jclass cls, jobject acti
             return (*env)->CallObjectMethod(env, action, run);
         }
     }
+
+    /* Some error occurred - clear pending exception and try to report the error. */
+    (*env)->ExceptionClear(env);
+
     jclass errorClass = (*env)->FindClass(env, "java/lang/InternalError");
     if (errorClass != NULL && !(*env)->ExceptionCheck(env)) {
         (*env)->ThrowNew(env, errorClass, "Could not invoke PrivilegedAction");
     } else {
+        (*env)->ExceptionClear(env);
         (*env)->FatalError(env, "PrivilegedAction could not be invoked and the error could not be reported");
     }
     return NULL;