diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/kernel.cc b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/kernel.cc
index 1e6bdcac7f..f91ab73ab8 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/kernel.cc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/kernel.cc
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ extern "C" void kernel()
 	unsigned const processor_id = Cpu::id();
 	Processor * const processor = multiprocessor()->select(processor_id);
 	Processor_scheduler * const scheduler = processor->scheduler();
-	scheduler->head()->handle_exception(processor_id);
+	scheduler->head()->exception(processor_id);
 	scheduler->head()->proceed(processor_id);
 }
 
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/scheduler.h b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/scheduler.h
index 7f999a4f93..9853fa19af 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/scheduler.h
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/scheduler.h
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class Kernel::Execution_context : public Cpu_scheduler::Item
 		 *
 		 * \param processor_id  kernel name of targeted processor
 		 */
-		virtual void handle_exception(unsigned const processor_id) = 0;
+		virtual void exception(unsigned const processor_id) = 0;
 
 		/**
 		 * Continue execution
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
index 33427c4614..b8221bfc47 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ Thread::init(Processor * const processor, unsigned const pd_id_arg,
 void Thread::_stop() { _unschedule(STOPPED); }
 
 
-void Thread::handle_exception(unsigned const processor_id)
+void Thread::exception(unsigned const processor_id)
 {
 	switch (cpu_exception) {
 	case SUPERVISOR_CALL:
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.h b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.h
index c426415f1e..5e948c0d57 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.h
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.h
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ class Kernel::Thread
 		 ** Execution_context **
 		 ***********************/
 
-		void handle_exception(unsigned const processor_id);
+		void exception(unsigned const processor_id);
 		void proceed(unsigned const processor_id);
 
 
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/vm.h b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/vm.h
index 8fb7b6c99b..390680963d 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/vm.h
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/vm.h
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Kernel::Vm : public Object<Vm, MAX_VMS, Vm_ids, vm_ids, vm_pool>,
 		 ** Execution_context **
 		 ***********************/
 
-		void handle_exception(unsigned const processor_id)
+		void exception(unsigned const processor_id)
 		{
 			switch(_state->cpu_exception) {
 			case Genode::Cpu_state::INTERRUPT_REQUEST: