diff --git a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h
index 95cce138f..cd77252b4 100644
--- a/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h
+++ b/gtsam/linear/JacobianFactor.h
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ namespace gtsam {
 
     /** An exception indicating that the noise model dimension passed into the
      * JacobianFactor has a different dimensionality than the factor. */
-    class InvalidNoiseModel : std::exception {
+    class InvalidNoiseModel : public std::exception {
     public:
       const size_t factorDims; ///< The dimensionality of the factor
       const size_t noiseModelDims; ///< The dimensionality of the noise model