diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/resources/refactoring/ExtractMethod.rts b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/resources/refactoring/ExtractMethod.rts
index 171658a9b1e..eb7509328cc 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/resources/refactoring/ExtractMethod.rts
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/resources/refactoring/ExtractMethod.rts
@@ -2706,3 +2706,49 @@ int Test::calculateStuff() {
 	return result;
 }
 
+//!Bug#281564 Extract Function fails when catching an unnamed exception
+//#org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests.refactoring.extractfunction.ExtractFunctionRefactoringTest
+//@.config
+filename=main.cpp
+methodname=exp
+//@main.cpp
+
+int myFunc() {
+return 5;
+}
+
+int main() {
+
+int a = 0;
+/*$*/try {
+        a = myFunc();
+    }
+    catch(const int & ){
+        a = 3;
+    }/*$$*/
+    return a;
+}
+
+//=
+
+int myFunc() {
+return 5;
+}
+
+void exp(int & a)
+{
+    try {
+        a = myFunc();
+    }
+    catch(const int & ){
+        a = 3;
+    }
+}
+
+int main() {
+
+int a = 0;
+    exp(a);
+    return a;
+}
+
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/NodeContainer.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/NodeContainer.java
index 6dcea881798..72e0053b44b 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/NodeContainer.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/NodeContainer.java
@@ -207,9 +207,12 @@ public class NodeContainer {
 		}
 
 		public boolean isDeclarationInScope() {
-			int declOffset = declaration.getFileLocation().getNodeOffset();
-			return declOffset >= getStartOffset()
-					&& declOffset <= getEndOffset();
+			if(declaration.toCharArray().length > 0) {
+				int declOffset = declaration.getFileLocation().getNodeOffset();
+				return declOffset >= getStartOffset()
+				&& declOffset <= getEndOffset();
+			}
+			return true;
 		}
 
 		@Override