diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/irq.h b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/irq.h
index 9cd2a79d16..dd6b760a30 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/irq.h
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/irq.h
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class Kernel::Irq
 		Irq(unsigned const irq_id)
 		:
 			Pool::Item(irq_id),
-			Signal_context(this)
+			Signal_context(this, 0)
 		{
 			_pool()->insert(this);
 			_disable();
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.cc b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.cc
index 694b84091a..8f5a8f44bb 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.cc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.cc
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ void Signal_context::_deliverable()
 Signal_context::~Signal_context() { _receiver->_context_killed(this); }
 
 
-Signal_context::Signal_context(Signal_receiver * const r)
+Signal_context::Signal_context(Signal_receiver * const r, unsigned const imprint)
 :
 	_deliver_fe(this), _contexts_fe(this), _receiver(r),
-	_imprint(Object::id()), _submits(0), _ack(1), _kill(0), _killer(0)
+	_imprint(imprint), _submits(0), _ack(1), _kill(0), _killer(0)
 {
-	r->add_context(this);
+	if (r->_add_context(this)) { throw Assign_to_receiver_failed(); }
 }
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.h b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.h
index 71d32b598e..b75eec7cfa 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.h
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/signal_receiver.h
@@ -231,18 +231,6 @@ class Kernel::Signal_context
 		 */
 		void _killer_cancelled() { _killer = 0; }
 
-		/**
-		 * Constructor that is used by signal receivers
-		 *
-		 * \param r        receiver that the context is assigned to
-		 * \param imprint  userland identification of the context
-		 */
-		Signal_context(Signal_receiver * const r, unsigned const imprint)
-		:
-			_deliver_fe(this), _contexts_fe(this), _receiver(r),
-			_imprint(imprint), _submits(0), _ack(1), _kill(0), _killer(0)
-		{ }
-
 		/**
 		 * Hook to install in-kernel handler for acks at specific signal types
 		 */
@@ -250,13 +238,6 @@ class Kernel::Signal_context
 
 	protected:
 
-		/**
-		 * Constructor that is used by 
-		 *
-		 * \param r  receiver that the context is assigned to
-		 */
-		Signal_context(Signal_receiver * const r);
-
 		/**
 		 * Destructor
 		 */
@@ -264,6 +245,21 @@ class Kernel::Signal_context
 
 	public:
 
+		/**
+		 * Exception types
+		 */
+		struct Assign_to_receiver_failed { };
+
+		/**
+		 * Constructor
+		 *
+		 * \param r        receiver that the context shall be assigned to
+		 * \param imprint  userland identification of the context
+		 *
+		 * \throw  Assign_to_receiver_failed
+		 */
+		Signal_context(Signal_receiver * const r, unsigned const imprint);
+
 		/**
 		 * Submit the signal
 		 *
@@ -411,6 +407,19 @@ class Kernel::Signal_receiver
 			_handlers.remove(&h->_handlers_fe);
 		}
 
+		/**
+		 * Assign context 'c' to the receiver
+		 *
+		 * \retval  0  succeeded
+		 * \retval -1  failed
+		 */
+		int _add_context(Signal_context * const c)
+		{
+			if (_kill) { return -1; }
+			_contexts.enqueue(&c->_contexts_fe);
+			return 0;
+		}
+
 
 		/***************************
 		 ** Signal_context_killer **
@@ -453,37 +462,6 @@ class Kernel::Signal_receiver
 			return 0;
 		}
 
-		/**
-		 * Create a context that is assigned to the receiver
-		 *
-		 * \param p        memory destination
-		 * \param imprint  userland identification of context
-		 *
-		 * \retval  0  succeeded
-		 * \retval -1  failed
-		 */
-		int new_context(void * p, unsigned imprint)
-		{
-			if (_kill) { return -1; }
-			new (p) Signal_context(this, imprint);
-			Signal_context * const c = (Signal_context *)p;
-			_contexts.enqueue(&c->_contexts_fe);
-			return 0;
-		}
-
-		/**
-		 * Assign context 'c' to the receiver
-		 *
-		 * \retval  0  succeeded
-		 * \retval -1  failed
-		 */
-		int add_context(Signal_context * const c)
-		{
-			if (_kill) { return -1; }
-			_contexts.enqueue(&c->_contexts_fe);
-			return 0;
-		}
-
 		/**
 		 * Return wether any of the contexts of this receiver is deliverable
 		 */
diff --git a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
index 69706304b6..97b242aebe 100644
--- a/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
+++ b/base-hw/src/core/kernel/thread.cc
@@ -746,14 +746,13 @@ void Thread::_syscall_new_signal_context()
 	/* create and assign context*/
 	void * const p = (void *)user_arg_1();
 	unsigned const imprint = user_arg_3();
-	if (r->new_context(p, imprint)) {
-		PERR("failed to create signal context");
+	try {
+		Signal_context * const c = new (p) Signal_context(r, imprint);
+		user_arg_0(c->id());
+	} catch (Signal_context::Assign_to_receiver_failed) {
+		PERR("failed to assign context to receiver");
 		user_arg_0(0);
-		return;
 	}
-	/* return context name */
-	Signal_context * const c = (Signal_context *)p;
-	user_arg_0(c->id());
 }