diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 396c15a7..a2fc9494 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -3580,7 +3580,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().ExceptionFormatter = function(j$) {
         lines.unshift(stackTrace.message);
       }
 
-      if (error.cause) {
+      if (error.cause && error.cause instanceof Error) {
         const substack = this.stack_(error.cause, {
           messageHandling: 'require'
         });
diff --git a/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js b/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js
index 328945b5..97f2c254 100644
--- a/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js
@@ -291,6 +291,26 @@ describe('ExceptionFormatter', function() {
           .withContext('first root cause stack frame')
           .toContain('ExceptionFormatterSpec.js');
       });
+
+      it('does not throw if cause is a non Error', function() {
+        const formatter = new jasmineUnderTest.ExceptionFormatter();
+
+        expect(function() {
+          formatter.stack(
+            new Error('error', {
+              cause: function() {}
+            })
+          );
+        }).not.toThrowError();
+
+        expect(function() {
+          formatter.stack(
+            new Error('error', {
+              cause: 'another error'
+            })
+          );
+        }).not.toThrowError();
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js b/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js
index 0d69458b..1b78de0f 100644
--- a/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js
+++ b/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().ExceptionFormatter = function(j$) {
         lines.unshift(stackTrace.message);
       }
 
-      if (error.cause) {
+      if (error.cause && error.cause instanceof Error) {
         const substack = this.stack_(error.cause, {
           messageHandling: 'require'
         });