diff --git a/go/avm.go b/go/avm.go
index 987ece40..4f5605bb 100644
--- a/go/avm.go
+++ b/go/avm.go
@@ -204,13 +204,8 @@ func Step(s State, prog []Instr) (*State, error) {
 		var b Val
 		if arity >= 2 { b = stack[len(stack)-1]; stack = stack[:len(stack)-1] }
 		a := stack[len(stack)-1]; stack = stack[:len(stack)-1]
-		r, err := func() (Val, error) {
-			defer func() {
-				if r := recover(); r != nil { err = errors.New("runtime error in execPrim") }
-			}()
-			return execPrim(p, a, b)
-		}()
-		if err != nil { return nil, err }
+		r, execErr := execPrim(p, a, b)
+		if execErr != nil { return nil, execErr }
 		stack = append(stack, r)
 	case Halt:
 		s.Halted = true