diff --git a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/MultiBackend.php b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/MultiBackend.php
index 89a1cef942e9d4abae033c43a9cf199cf49f774b..60d5e306df05aa0243a1d7a352f06293fe68095e 100644
--- a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/MultiBackend.php
+++ b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/MultiBackend.php
@@ -1026,7 +1026,8 @@ class MultiBackend extends AbstractBase
      * Place ILL Request
      *
      * Attempts to place an ILL request on a particular item and returns
-     * an array with result details or a PEAR error on failure of support classes
+     * an array with result details (or throws an exception on failure of support
+     * classes)
      *
      * @param array $details An array of item and patron data
      *
diff --git a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/VoyagerRestful.php b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/VoyagerRestful.php
index 8aa285220bf0b84659df416782011a327f8e7cbe..dadd8c03441b222f23970d273e5e533507ea7d7e 100644
--- a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/VoyagerRestful.php
+++ b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/ILS/Driver/VoyagerRestful.php
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ class VoyagerRestful extends Voyager implements \VuFindHttp\HttpServiceAwareInte
             $sqlStmt = $this->db->prepare($sql['string']);
             $sqlStmt->execute($sql['bind']);
         } catch (PDOException $e) {
-            return new PEAR_Error($e->getMessage());
+            throw new ILSException($e->getMessage());
         }
 
         $groups = [];