diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ExceptionUtils.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ExceptionUtils.java
index f99a5221de043d842cef64ee99012609e4dc1b9a..e9486a20e2a5b6054580c33b4e33a48cc61d49c8 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ExceptionUtils.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/utilities/ExceptionUtils.java
@@ -151,4 +151,13 @@ public final class ExceptionUtils
         }
         return null;
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Returns the last {@link Throwable} of a chain of throwables.
+     */
+    public static Throwable getEndOfChain(Throwable throwable)
+    {
+        Throwable cause = throwable.getCause();
+        return cause == null ? throwable : getEndOfChain(cause);
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file