diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/Elf.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/Elf.java
index c6334470ccc..42f67a68947 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/Elf.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/Elf.java
@@ -1029,6 +1029,9 @@ public class Elf implements AutoCloseable {
 		return slist.toArray(new Section[0]);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @throws ElfClassNoneException if {@link ELFhdr#ELFCLASSNONE} header is read
+	 */
 	public Section[] getSections() throws IOException {
 		if (sections == null) {
 			if (ehdr.e_shoff == 0) {
@@ -1063,7 +1066,7 @@ public class Elf implements AutoCloseable {
 					break;
 				case ELFhdr.ELFCLASSNONE:
 				default:
-					throw new IOException("Unknown ELF class " + ehdr.e_ident[ELFhdr.EI_CLASS]); //$NON-NLS-1$
+					throw new ElfClassNoneException("Unknown ELF class " + ehdr.e_ident[ELFhdr.EI_CLASS]); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				}
 
 				sections[i].sh_link = efile.readIntE();
@@ -1081,7 +1084,7 @@ public class Elf implements AutoCloseable {
 					break;
 				case ELFhdr.ELFCLASSNONE:
 				default:
-					throw new IOException("Unknown ELF class " + ehdr.e_ident[ELFhdr.EI_CLASS]); //$NON-NLS-1$
+					throw new ElfClassNoneException("Unknown ELF class " + ehdr.e_ident[ELFhdr.EI_CLASS]); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -1316,4 +1319,16 @@ public class Elf implements AutoCloseable {
 		}
 		return result;
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Exception indicating that {@link ELFhdr#ELFCLASSNONE} header is read.
+	 *
+	 * @since 7.1
+	 */
+	public static class ElfClassNoneException extends IOException {
+
+		ElfClassNoneException(String message) {
+			super(message);
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/parser/ElfParser.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/parser/ElfParser.java
index c1c245a1f3b..0e4da98b046 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/parser/ElfParser.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/utils/org/eclipse/cdt/utils/elf/parser/ElfParser.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.AR;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.elf.Elf;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.elf.Elf.Attribute;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.elf.Elf.ELFhdr;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.elf.Elf.ElfClassNoneException;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.elf.Elf.PHdr;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IPath;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IStatus;
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ public class ElfParser extends AbstractCExtension implements IBinaryParser {
 		try {
 			/* No PHdr.PT_INTERP found in the hints meaning we need to read the file itself */
 			return Arrays.stream(getPHdrs(path)).anyMatch(phdr -> phdr.p_type == PHdr.PT_INTERP);
-		} catch (IOException e) {
+		} catch (ElfClassNoneException e) {
 			CCorePlugin.log(e);
 		}
 		return false;