diff --git a/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/ExceptionMatchers.scala b/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/ExceptionMatchers.scala
index f75d6a9607..b2cd69bf2d 100644
--- a/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/ExceptionMatchers.scala
+++ b/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/ExceptionMatchers.scala
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ trait ExceptionBaseMatchers extends Expectations {
         checkMatchResult(value, (e: Throwable) => classType(e), f)
       }
     }
+
     private val classType =
       (e: Throwable) => {
         errorMustBeThrownIfExceptionIsExpected(e, klass)
diff --git a/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchers.scala b/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchers.scala
index b4cb079fea..f836e50c6a 100644
--- a/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchers.scala
+++ b/matcher/src/main/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchers.scala
@@ -38,12 +38,21 @@ trait FutureMatchers extends Expectations with ConcurrentExecutionContext {
     }
   }
 
+  def await[T](m: Matcher[T]): Matcher[Future[T]] = awaitFor(m)()
   def await[T](m: Matcher[T])(retries: Int = 0, timeout: FiniteDuration = 1.seconds): Matcher[Future[T]] = awaitFor(m)(retries, timeout)
 
   private def awaitFor[T](m: Matcher[T])(retries: Int = 0, timeout: FiniteDuration = 1.seconds): Matcher[Future[T]] = new Matcher[Future[T]] {
     def apply[S <: Future[T]](a: Expectable[S]) = {
-      val r = a.value.map(v => createExpectable(v).applyMatcher(m).toResult).await(retries, timeout)
-      result(r.isSuccess, r.message, r.message, a)
+      try {
+        val r = a.value.map(v => createExpectable(v).applyMatcher(m).toResult).await(retries, timeout)
+        result(r.isSuccess, r.message, r.message, a)
+      } catch {
+        // if awaiting on the future throws an exception because it was a failed future
+        // there try to match again because the matcher can be a `throwA` matcher
+        case t: Throwable =>
+          val r = createExpectable(throw t).applyMatcher(m).toResult
+          result(r.isSuccess, r.message, r.message, a)
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchersSpec.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchersSpec.scala
index 84fc0395ed..bf1dbaba37 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchersSpec.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/org/specs2/matcher/FutureMatchersSpec.scala
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ class FutureMatchersSpec extends Specification with Groups with NoTimeConversion
  A `Future` returning a `Matcher[T]` can be transformed into a `Result`
  ${ Future(1 === 1).await }
 
+ A `throwA[T]` matcher can be used to match a failed future with the `await` method
+ ${ Future.failed[Int](new RuntimeException) must throwA[RuntimeException].await }
+ ${ { Future.failed[Int](new RuntimeException) must be_===(1).await } must throwA[RuntimeException] }
+
 """
 
   // the current execution context can be overridden here