diff --git a/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_extensions.php b/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_extensions.php
index ec88a4a392..5b9ee6c53e 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_extensions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_extensions.php
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 *
 */
 
+use phpbb\exception\exception_interface;
+
 /**
 * @ignore
 */
@@ -92,7 +94,7 @@ class acp_extensions
 			{
 				$md_manager->get_metadata('all');
 			}
-			catch (\phpbb\extension\exception $e)
+			catch (exception_interface $e)
 			{
 				$message = call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
 				trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);
@@ -320,11 +322,13 @@ class acp_extensions
 						$template->assign_block_vars('updates_available', $version_data);
 					}
 				}
-				catch (\RuntimeException $e)
+				catch (exception_interface $e)
 				{
+					$message = call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
+
 					$template->assign_vars(array(
 						'S_VERSIONCHECK_STATUS'			=> $e->getCode(),
-						'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL_REASON'		=> ($e->getMessage() !== $user->lang('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL')) ? $e->getMessage() : '',
+						'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL_REASON'		=> ($e->getMessage() !== 'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL') ? $message : '',
 					));
 				}
 
@@ -367,7 +371,7 @@ class acp_extensions
 				$enabled_extension_meta_data[$name]['S_VERSIONCHECK'] = true;
 				$enabled_extension_meta_data[$name]['U_VERSIONCHECK_FORCE'] = $this->u_action . '&action=details&versioncheck_force=1&ext_name=' . urlencode($md_manager->get_metadata('name'));
 			}
-			catch (\phpbb\extension\exception $e)
+			catch (exception_interface $e)
 			{
 				$message = call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
 				$this->template->assign_block_vars('disabled', array(
@@ -425,7 +429,7 @@ class acp_extensions
 				$disabled_extension_meta_data[$name]['S_VERSIONCHECK'] = true;
 				$disabled_extension_meta_data[$name]['U_VERSIONCHECK_FORCE'] = $this->u_action . '&action=details&versioncheck_force=1&ext_name=' . urlencode($md_manager->get_metadata('name'));
 			}
-			catch (\phpbb\extension\exception $e)
+			catch (exception_interface $e)
 			{
 				$message = call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
 				$this->template->assign_block_vars('disabled', array(
@@ -486,7 +490,7 @@ class acp_extensions
 				$available_extension_meta_data[$name]['S_VERSIONCHECK'] = true;
 				$available_extension_meta_data[$name]['U_VERSIONCHECK_FORCE'] = $this->u_action . '&action=details&versioncheck_force=1&ext_name=' . urlencode($md_manager->get_metadata('name'));
 			}
-			catch (\phpbb\extension\exception $e)
+			catch (exception_interface $e)
 			{
 				$message = call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
 				$this->template->assign_block_vars('disabled', array(
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_main.php b/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_main.php
index fe9657aecb..8dec7c69bd 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_main.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/acp/acp_main.php
@@ -450,9 +450,10 @@ class acp_main
 			}
 			catch (\RuntimeException $e)
 			{
+				$message = call_user_func_array(array($user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
 				$template->assign_vars(array(
 					'S_VERSIONCHECK_FAIL'		=> true,
-					'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL_REASON'	=> ($e->getMessage() !== $user->lang('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL')) ? $e->getMessage() : '',
+					'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL_REASON'	=> ($e->getMessage() !== 'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL') ? $message : '',
 				));
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/console/command/update/check.php b/phpBB/phpbb/console/command/update/check.php
index 0ef3c970ac..982c86bf8c 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/console/command/update/check.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/console/command/update/check.php
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 namespace phpbb\console\command\update;
 
+use phpbb\exception\exception_interface;
 use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputInterface;
 use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputArgument;
 use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputOption;
@@ -116,18 +117,9 @@ class check extends \phpbb\console\command\command
 	*/
 	protected function check_ext(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output, $stability, $recheck, $ext_name)
 	{
-		try
-		{
-			$ext_manager = $this->phpbb_container->get('ext.manager');
-			$md_manager = $ext_manager->create_extension_metadata_manager($ext_name, null);
-			$updates_available = $ext_manager->version_check($md_manager, $recheck, false, $stability);
-		}
-		catch (\RuntimeException $e)
-		{
-			$output->writeln('<error>' . $e->getMessage() . '</error>');
-
-			return 2;
-		}
+		$ext_manager = $this->phpbb_container->get('ext.manager');
+		$md_manager = $ext_manager->create_extension_metadata_manager($ext_name, null);
+		$updates_available = $ext_manager->version_check($md_manager, $recheck, false, $stability);
 
 		$metadata = $md_manager->get_metadata('all');
 		if ($input->getOption('verbose'))
@@ -178,16 +170,7 @@ class check extends \phpbb\console\command\command
 		$version_helper = $this->phpbb_container->get('version_helper');
 		$version_helper->force_stability($stability);
 
-		try
-		{
-			$updates_available = $version_helper->get_suggested_updates($recheck);
-		}
-		catch (\RuntimeException $e)
-		{
-			$output->writeln('<error>' . $this->user->lang('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL') . '</error>');
-
-			return 2;
-		}
+		$updates_available = $version_helper->get_suggested_updates($recheck);
 
 		if ($input->getOption('verbose'))
 		{
@@ -258,6 +241,11 @@ class check extends \phpbb\console\command\command
 					$message .= ' | ';
 				}
 			}
+			catch (exception_interface $e)
+			{
+				$exception_message = call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), array_merge(array($e->getMessage()), $e->get_parameters()));
+				$message .= ('<error>' . $exception_message . '</error>');
+			}
 			catch (\RuntimeException $e)
 			{
 				$message .= ('<error>' . $e->getMessage() . '</error>');
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/extension/manager.php b/phpBB/phpbb/extension/manager.php
index 6cdc8c0cc7..da1f06c885 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/extension/manager.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/extension/manager.php
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 namespace phpbb\extension;
 
+use phpbb\exception\runtime_exception;
+use phpbb\file_downloader;
 use Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface;
 
 /**
@@ -572,7 +574,7 @@ class manager
 	* @param bool $force_cache Force the use of the cache. Override $force_update.
 	* @param string $stability Force the stability (null by default).
 	* @return string
-	* @throws \RuntimeException
+	* @throws runtime_exception
 	*/
 	public function version_check(\phpbb\extension\metadata_manager $md_manager, $force_update = false, $force_cache = false, $stability = null)
 	{
@@ -580,12 +582,12 @@ class manager
 
 		if (!isset($meta['extra']['version-check']))
 		{
-			throw new \RuntimeException($this->user->lang('NO_VERSIONCHECK'), 1);
+			throw new runtime_exception('NO_VERSIONCHECK');
 		}
 
 		$version_check = $meta['extra']['version-check'];
 
-		$version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper($this->cache, $this->config, $this->user);
+		$version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper($this->cache, $this->config, new file_downloader());
 		$version_helper->set_current_version($meta['version']);
 		$version_helper->set_file_location($version_check ['host'], $version_check ['directory'], $version_check ['filename']);
 		$version_helper->force_stability($stability);
diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php b/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php
index a1e66ba8fe..227bb72403 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/version_helper.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 */
 
 namespace phpbb;
+use phpbb\exception\runtime_exception;
 
 /**
  * Class to handle version checking and comparison
@@ -58,23 +59,18 @@ class version_helper
 	/** @var \phpbb\file_downloader */
 	protected $file_downloader;
 
-	/** @var \phpbb\user */
-	protected $user;
-
 	/**
 	 * Constructor
 	 *
 	 * @param \phpbb\cache\service $cache
 	 * @param \phpbb\config\config $config
 	 * @param \phpbb\file_downloader $file_downloader
-	 * @param \phpbb\user $user
 	 */
-	public function __construct(\phpbb\cache\service $cache, \phpbb\config\config $config, \phpbb\file_downloader $file_downloader, \phpbb\user $user)
+	public function __construct(\phpbb\cache\service $cache, \phpbb\config\config $config, \phpbb\file_downloader $file_downloader)
 	{
 		$this->cache = $cache;
 		$this->config = $config;
 		$this->file_downloader = $file_downloader;
-		$this->user = $user;
 
 		if (defined('PHPBB_QA'))
 		{
@@ -175,7 +171,7 @@ class version_helper
 	* @param bool $force_update Ignores cached data. Defaults to false.
 	* @param bool $force_cache Force the use of the cache. Override $force_update.
 	* @return string
-	* @throws \RuntimeException
+	* @throws runtime_exception
 	*/
 	public function get_latest_on_current_branch($force_update = false, $force_cache = false)
 	{
@@ -206,7 +202,7 @@ class version_helper
 	* @param bool $force_update Ignores cached data. Defaults to false.
 	* @param bool $force_cache Force the use of the cache. Override $force_update.
 	* @return string
-	* @throws \RuntimeException
+	* @throws runtime_exception
 	*/
 	public function get_suggested_updates($force_update = false, $force_cache = false)
 	{
@@ -227,7 +223,7 @@ class version_helper
 	* @param bool $force_update Ignores cached data. Defaults to false.
 	* @param bool $force_cache Force the use of the cache. Override $force_update.
 	* @return string Version info
-	* @throws \RuntimeException
+	* @throws runtime_exception
 	*/
 	public function get_versions_matching_stability($force_update = false, $force_cache = false)
 	{
@@ -247,7 +243,7 @@ class version_helper
 	* @param bool $force_update Ignores cached data. Defaults to false.
 	* @param bool $force_cache Force the use of the cache. Override $force_update.
 	* @return string Version info, includes stable and unstable data
-	* @throws \RuntimeException
+	* @throws runtime_exception
 	*/
 	public function get_versions($force_update = false, $force_cache = false)
 	{
@@ -257,23 +253,16 @@ class version_helper
 
 		if ($info === false && $force_cache)
 		{
-			throw new \RuntimeException($this->user->lang('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL'));
+			throw new runtime_exception('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL');
 		}
 		else if ($info === false || $force_update)
 		{
-			try {
-				$info = $this->file_downloader->get($this->host, $this->path, $this->file, $this->use_ssl ? 443 : 80);
-			}
-			catch (\phpbb\exception\runtime_exception $exception)
-			{
-				$prepare_parameters = array_merge(array($exception->getMessage()), $exception->get_parameters());
-				throw new \RuntimeException(call_user_func_array(array($this->user, 'lang'), $prepare_parameters));
-			}
+			$info = $this->file_downloader->get($this->host, $this->path, $this->file, $this->use_ssl ? 443 : 80);
 			$error_string = $this->file_downloader->get_error_string();
 
 			if (!empty($error_string))
 			{
-				throw new \RuntimeException($error_string);
+				throw new runtime_exception($error_string);
 			}
 
 			$info = json_decode($info, true);
@@ -290,9 +279,7 @@ class version_helper
 
 			if (empty($info['stable']) && empty($info['unstable']))
 			{
-				$this->user->add_lang('acp/common');
-
-				throw new \RuntimeException($this->user->lang('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL'));
+				throw new runtime_exception('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL');
 			}
 
 			$info['stable'] = (empty($info['stable'])) ? array() : $info['stable'];
diff --git a/tests/console/update/check_test.php b/tests/console/update/check_test.php
index 2101a3f33a..de57e4df08 100644
--- a/tests/console/update/check_test.php
+++ b/tests/console/update/check_test.php
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ class phpbb_console_command_check_test extends phpbb_test_case
 		$this->assertSame($status, 1);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @expectedException phpbb\exception\runtime_exception
+	 */
 	public function test_error()
 	{
 		$command_tester = $this->get_command_tester('1');
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ class phpbb_console_command_check_test extends phpbb_test_case
 			->getMock();
 
 		$config = new \phpbb\config\config(array('version' => $current_version));
-		$this->version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper($cache, $config, new \phpbb\file_downloader(), $user);
+		$this->version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper($cache, $config, new \phpbb\file_downloader());
 
 		$container = new phpbb_mock_container_builder;
 		$container->set('version_helper', $this->version_helper);
diff --git a/tests/version/version_fetch_test.php b/tests/version/version_fetch_test.php
index 6ecc9b7223..c44bd5514a 100644
--- a/tests/version/version_fetch_test.php
+++ b/tests/version/version_fetch_test.php
@@ -28,15 +28,12 @@ class phpbb_version_helper_fetch_test extends phpbb_test_case
 			->disableOriginalConstructor()
 			->getMock();
 
-		$lang_loader = new \phpbb\language\language_file_loader($phpbb_root_path, $phpEx);
-
 		$this->version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper(
 			$this->cache,
 			new \phpbb\config\config(array(
 				'version'	=> '3.1.0',
 			)),
-			new \phpbb\file_downloader(),
-			new \phpbb\user(new \phpbb\language\language($lang_loader), '\phpbb\datetime')
+			new \phpbb\file_downloader()
 		);
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/version/version_helper_remote_test.php b/tests/version/version_helper_remote_test.php
index 724c4c970c..fa383d487f 100644
--- a/tests/version/version_helper_remote_test.php
+++ b/tests/version/version_helper_remote_test.php
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ class version_helper_remote_test extends \phpbb_test_case
 		$this->version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper(
 			$this->cache,
 			$config,
-			$this->file_downloader,
-			new \phpbb\user(new \phpbb\language\language($lang_loader), '\phpbb\datetime')
+			$this->file_downloader
 		);
 		$this->user = new \phpbb\user(new \phpbb\language\language($lang_loader), '\phpbb\datetime');
 		$this->user->add_lang('acp/common');
@@ -161,8 +160,8 @@ class version_helper_remote_test extends \phpbb_test_case
 		{
 			try {
 				$return = $this->version_helper->get_versions();
-			} catch (\RuntimeException $e) {
-				$this->assertEquals((string)$e->getMessage(), $this->user->lang('VERSIONCHECK_FAIL'));
+			} catch (\phpbb\exception\runtime_exception $e) {
+				$this->assertEquals((string)$e->getMessage(), 'VERSIONCHECK_FAIL');
 			}
 		}
 		else
diff --git a/tests/version/version_test.php b/tests/version/version_test.php
index 05577f6a18..93d47a40a6 100644
--- a/tests/version/version_test.php
+++ b/tests/version/version_test.php
@@ -25,15 +25,12 @@ class phpbb_version_helper_test extends phpbb_test_case
 			->disableOriginalConstructor()
 			->getMock();
 
-		$lang_loader = new \phpbb\language\language_file_loader($phpbb_root_path, $phpEx);
-
 		$this->version_helper = new \phpbb\version_helper(
 			$this->cache,
 			new \phpbb\config\config(array(
 				'version'	=> '3.1.0',
 			)),
-			new \phpbb\file_downloader(),
-			new \phpbb\user(new \phpbb\language\language($lang_loader), '\phpbb\datetime')
+			new \phpbb\file_downloader()
 		);
 	}