diff --git a/src/lib/client/Client.cpp b/src/lib/client/Client.cpp
index b37aa558..c744ec2b 100644
--- a/src/lib/client/Client.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/client/Client.cpp
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ Client::sendFileThread(void* filename)
         char* name  = static_cast<char*>(filename);
         StreamChunker::sendFile(name, m_events, this);
     }
-    catch (std::runtime_error error) {
+    catch (std::runtime_error& error) {
         LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed sending file chunks: %s", error.what()));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/server/Server.cpp b/src/lib/server/Server.cpp
index 509467fc..206b145c 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/Server.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/server/Server.cpp
@@ -2392,7 +2392,7 @@ Server::sendFileThread(void* data)
 		LOG((CLOG_DEBUG "sending file to client, filename=%s", filename));
 		StreamChunker::sendFile(filename, m_events, this);
 	}
-	catch (std::runtime_error error) {
+	catch (std::runtime_error &error) {
 		LOG((CLOG_ERR "failed sending file chunks, error: %s", error.what()));
 	}