diff --git a/src/library_exceptions.js b/src/library_exceptions.js
index b5f9e084e6832..9ea9eb0ffa34f 100644
--- a/src/library_exceptions.js
+++ b/src/library_exceptions.js
@@ -279,12 +279,16 @@ var LibraryExceptions = {
 
     var pointer = {{{ exportedAsmFunc('___cxa_is_pointer_type') }}}(throwntype);
     // can_catch receives a **, add indirection
-    if (!___cxa_find_matching_catch.buffer) ___cxa_find_matching_catch.buffer = _malloc(4);
 #if EXCEPTION_DEBUG
     out("can_catch on " + [thrown]);
 #endif
-    {{{ makeSetValue('___cxa_find_matching_catch.buffer', '0', 'thrown', '*') }}};
-    thrown = ___cxa_find_matching_catch.buffer;
+#if DISABLE_EXCEPTION_CATCHING == 1
+    var buffer = 0;
+#else
+    var buffer = {{{ makeStaticAlloc(4) }}};
+#endif
+    {{{ makeSetValue('buffer', '0', 'thrown', '*') }}};
+    thrown = buffer;
     // The different catch blocks are denoted by different types.
     // Due to inheritance, those types may not precisely match the
     // type of the thrown object. Find one which matches, and