diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine-html.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine-html.js
index 02906847..10961d36 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine-html.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine-html.js
@@ -79,9 +79,8 @@ jasmine.HtmlReporter = function(options) {
 
       for (var i = 0; i < result.failedExpectations.length; i++) {
         var expectation = result.failedExpectations[i];
-        var stack = (expectation.trace && expectation.trace.stack) || "";
         messages.appendChild(createDom("div", {className: "result-message"}, expectation.message));
-        messages.appendChild(createDom("div", {className: "stack-trace"}, stack));
+        messages.appendChild(createDom("div", {className: "stack-trace"}, expectation.stack));
       }
 
       failures.push(failure);
diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 0e4821ac..7d6c19e9 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -439,29 +439,66 @@ jasmine.util.argsToArray = function(args) {
   var arrayOfArgs = [];
   for (var i = 0; i < args.length; i++) arrayOfArgs.push(args[i]);
   return arrayOfArgs;
-};jasmine.exceptionFormatter = function(e) {
-  var message = e.name
-    + ': '
-    + e.message
-    + ' in '
-    + (e.fileName || e.sourceURL || '')
-    + ' (line '
-    + (e.line || e.lineNumber || '')
-    + ')';
+};jasmine.ExceptionFormatter = function() {
+  this.message = function(error) {
+    var message = error.name
+      + ': '
+      + error.message;
 
-  return message;
-};
-//TODO: expectation result may make more sense as a presentation of an expectation.
-jasmine.buildExpectationResult = function(params) {
-  return {
-    type: 'expect',
-    matcherName: params.matcherName,
-    expected: params.expected,
-    actual:  params.actual,
-    message: params.passed ? 'Passed.' : params.message,
-    trace: params.passed ? '' : (params.trace || new Error(this.message)),
-    passed: params.passed
+    if (error.fileName || error.sourceURL) {
+      message += " in " + (error.fileName || error.sourceURL);
+    }
+
+    if (error.line || error.lineNumber) {
+      message += " (line " + (error.line || error.lineNumber) + ")"
+    }
+
+    return message;
   };
+
+  this.stack = function(error) {
+    return error ? error.stack : null;
+  }
+};//TODO: expectation result may make more sense as a presentation of an expectation.
+jasmine.buildExpectationResult = function(options) {
+  var messageFormatter = options.messageFormatter || function() {},
+    stackFormatter = options.stackFormatter || function() {};
+
+  return {
+    matcherName: options.matcherName,
+    expected: options.expected,
+    actual: options.actual,
+    message: message(),
+    stack: stack(),
+    passed: options.passed
+  };
+
+  function message() {
+    if (options.passed) {
+      return "Passed."
+    } else if (options.message) {
+      return options.message
+    } else if (options.error) {
+      return messageFormatter(options.error);
+    }
+    return ""
+  }
+
+  function stack() {
+    if (options.passed) {
+      return "";
+    }
+
+    var error = options.error;
+    if (!error) {
+      try {
+        throw new Error(message());
+      } catch (e) {
+        error = e;
+      }
+    }
+    return stackFormatter(error);
+  }
 };
 (function() {
   jasmine.Env = function(options) {
@@ -536,18 +573,21 @@ jasmine.buildExpectationResult = function(params) {
       }
     };
 
-    var exceptionFormatter = jasmine.exceptionFormatter;
-
     var specConstructor = jasmine.Spec;
 
     var getSpecName = function(spec, currentSuite) {
       return currentSuite.getFullName() + ' ' + spec.description + '.';
     };
 
-    var buildExpectationResult = jasmine.buildExpectationResult;
-    var expectationResultFactory = function(attrs) {
-      return buildExpectationResult(attrs);
-    };
+    // TODO: we may just be able to pass in the fn instead of wrapping here
+    var buildExpectationResult = jasmine.buildExpectationResult,
+      exceptionFormatter = new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter(),
+      expectationResultFactory = function(attrs) {
+        attrs.messageFormatter = exceptionFormatter.message;
+        attrs.stackFormatter = exceptionFormatter.stack;
+
+        return buildExpectationResult(attrs);
+      };
 
     // TODO: fix this naming, and here's where the value comes in
     this.catchExceptions = function(value) {
@@ -1043,21 +1083,19 @@ jasmine.Matchers.matcherFn_ = function(matcherName, matcherFunction) {
         message += ".";
       }
     }
-    var expectationResult = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({
+
+    this.spec.addExpectationResult(result, {
       matcherName: matcherName,
       passed: result,
       expected: matcherArgs.length > 1 ? matcherArgs : matcherArgs[0],
       actual: this.actual,
       message: message
     });
-    this.spec.addExpectationResult(result, expectationResult);
     return jasmine.undefined;
   };
 };
 
 
-
-
 /**
  * toBe: compares the actual to the expected using ===
  * @param expected
@@ -1137,11 +1175,11 @@ jasmine.Matchers.prototype.toBeNull = function() {
  * Matcher that compares the actual to NaN.
  */
 jasmine.Matchers.prototype.toBeNaN = function() {
-	this.message = function() {
-		return [ "Expected " + jasmine.pp(this.actual) + " to be NaN." ];
-	};
+  this.message = function() {
+      return [ "Expected " + jasmine.pp(this.actual) + " to be NaN." ];
+  };
 
-	return (this.actual !== this.actual);
+  return (this.actual !== this.actual);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1356,7 +1394,7 @@ jasmine.Matchers.Any.prototype.jasmineToString = function() {
   return '<jasmine.any(' + this.expectedClass + ')>';
 };
 
-jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining = function (sample) {
+jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining = function(sample) {
   this.sample = sample;
 };
 
@@ -1382,7 +1420,7 @@ jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining.prototype.jasmineMatches = function(other, mis
   return (mismatchKeys.length === 0 && mismatchValues.length === 0);
 };
 
-jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining.prototype.jasmineToString = function () {
+jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining.prototype.jasmineToString = function() {
   return "<jasmine.objectContaining(" + jasmine.pp(this.sample) + ")>";
 };
 /**
@@ -1583,9 +1621,10 @@ jasmine.Spec = function(attrs) {
 
 jasmine.Spec.prototype.addExpectationResult = function(passed, data) {
   this.encounteredExpectations = true;
-  if (!passed) {
-    this.result.failedExpectations.push(data);
+  if (passed) {
+    return;
   }
+  this.result.failedExpectations.push(this.expectationResultFactory(data));
 };
 
 jasmine.Spec.prototype.expect = function(actual) {
@@ -1608,14 +1647,13 @@ jasmine.Spec.prototype.execute = function(onComplete) {
   this.queueRunner({
     fns: allFns,
     onException: function(e) {
-      self.addExpectationResult(false, self.expectationResultFactory({
+      self.addExpectationResult(false, {
         matcherName: "",
         passed: false,
         expected: "",
         actual: "",
-        message: self.exceptionFormatter(e),
-        trace: e
-      }));
+        error: e
+      });
     },
     onComplete: complete
   });
@@ -1652,7 +1690,7 @@ jasmine.Spec.prototype.status = function() {
 
 jasmine.Spec.prototype.getFullName = function() {
   return this.getSpecName(this);
-}
+};
 jasmine.Suite = function(attrs) {
   this.env = attrs.env;
   this.id = attrs.id;
diff --git a/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js b/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js
index c3052c8c..7ded6ac7 100644
--- a/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/ExceptionFormatterSpec.js
@@ -1,26 +1,52 @@
 describe("ExceptionFormatter", function() {
+  describe("#message", function() {
+    it('formats Firefox exception messages', function() {
+      var sampleFirefoxException = {
+          fileName: 'foo.js',
+          lineNumber: '1978',
+          message: 'you got your foo in my bar',
+          name: 'A Classic Mistake'
+        },
+        exceptionFormatter = new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter(),
+        message = exceptionFormatter.message(sampleFirefoxException);
 
-  it('formats Firefox exception messages', function() {
-    var sampleFirefoxException = {
-        fileName: 'foo.js',
-        line: '1978',
-        message: 'you got your foo in my bar',
-        name: 'A Classic Mistake'
-      },
-      message = jasmine.exceptionMessageFor(sampleFirefoxException);
+      expect(message).toEqual('A Classic Mistake: you got your foo in my bar in foo.js (line 1978)');
+    });
 
-    expect(message).toEqual('A Classic Mistake: you got your foo in my bar in foo.js (line 1978)');
+    it('formats Webkit exception messages', function() {
+      var sampleWebkitException = {
+          sourceURL: 'foo.js',
+          line: '1978',
+          message: 'you got your foo in my bar',
+          name: 'A Classic Mistake'
+        },
+        exceptionFormatter = new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter(),
+        message = exceptionFormatter.message(sampleWebkitException);
+
+      expect(message).toEqual('A Classic Mistake: you got your foo in my bar in foo.js (line 1978)');
+    });
+
+    it('formats V8 exception messages', function() {
+      var sampleV8 = {
+          message: 'you got your foo in my bar',
+          name: 'A Classic Mistake'
+        },
+        exceptionFormatter = new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter(),
+        message = exceptionFormatter.message(sampleV8);
+
+      expect(message).toEqual('A Classic Mistake: you got your foo in my bar');
+
+    });
   });
 
-  it('formats Webkit exception messages', function() {
-    var sampleWebkitException = {
-        sourceURL: 'foo.js',
-        lineNumber: '1978',
-        message: 'you got your foo in my bar',
-        name: 'A Classic Mistake'
-      },
-      message = jasmine.exceptionMessageFor(sampleWebkitException);
+  describe("#stack", function() {
+    it("formats stack traces from Webkit, Firefox or node.js", function() {
+      var error = new Error("an error");
+      expect(new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter().stack(error)).toMatch(/ExceptionFormatterSpec\.js.*\d+/)
+    });
 
-    expect(message).toEqual('A Classic Mistake: you got your foo in my bar in foo.js (line 1978)');
+    it("returns null if no Error provided", function() {
+      expect(new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter().stack()).toBeNull();
+    });
   });
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/core/ExpectationResultSpec.js b/spec/core/ExpectationResultSpec.js
index 36c4e49c..6586ab96 100644
--- a/spec/core/ExpectationResultSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/ExpectationResultSpec.js
@@ -1,33 +1,47 @@
 describe("buildExpectationResult", function() {
-
   it("defaults to passed", function() {
     var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({passed: 'some-value'});
     expect(result.passed).toBe('some-value');
   });
 
-  it("has a type of expect", function() {
-    var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({});
-    expect(result.type).toBe('expect');
-  });
-
   it("message defaults to Passed for passing specs", function() {
     var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({passed: true, message: 'some-value'});
     expect(result.message).toBe('Passed.');
   });
 
-  it("message returns the message for failing specs", function() {
+  it("message returns the message for failing expecations", function() {
     var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({passed: false, message: 'some-value'});
     expect(result.message).toBe('some-value');
   });
 
-  it("trace passes trace if exists", function() {
-    var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({trace: 'some-value'});
-    expect(result.trace).toBe('some-value');
+  it("delegates message formatting to the provided formatter if there was an Error", function() {
+    var fakeError = {message: 'foo'},
+      messageFormatter = jasmine.createSpy("exception message formatter").andReturn(fakeError.message);
+
+    var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult(
+      {
+        passed: false,
+        error: fakeError,
+        messageFormatter: messageFormatter
+      });
+
+    expect(messageFormatter).toHaveBeenCalledWith(fakeError);
+    expect(result.message).toEqual('foo');
   });
 
-  it("trace returns a new error if trace is falsy", function() {
-    var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({trace: false});
-    expect(result.trace).toEqual(jasmine.any(Error));
+  it("delegates stack formatting to the provided formatter if there was an Error", function() {
+    var fakeError = {stack: 'foo'},
+      stackFormatter = jasmine.createSpy("stack formatter").andReturn(fakeError.stack);
+
+    var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult(
+      {
+        passed: false,
+        error: fakeError,
+        stackFormatter: stackFormatter
+      });
+
+    expect(stackFormatter).toHaveBeenCalledWith(fakeError);
+    expect(result.stack).toEqual('foo');
   });
 
   it("matcherName returns passed matcherName", function() {
@@ -44,5 +58,4 @@ describe("buildExpectationResult", function() {
     var result = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({actual: 'some-value'});
     expect(result.actual).toBe('some-value');
   });
-
 });
diff --git a/spec/core/MatchersSpec.js b/spec/core/MatchersSpec.js
index fe501f7a..011c4aae 100644
--- a/spec/core/MatchersSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/MatchersSpec.js
@@ -660,9 +660,6 @@ describe("jasmine.Matchers", function() {
     });
 
     it("should provide an inverted default message", function() {
-      match(37).not.toBeGreaterThan(42);
-      expect(lastResult().message).toEqual("Passed.");
-
       match(42).not.toBeGreaterThan(37);
       expect(lastResult().message).toEqual("Expected 42 not to be greater than 37.");
     });
@@ -677,14 +674,10 @@ describe("jasmine.Matchers", function() {
         }
       });
 
-      match(true).custom();
-      expect(lastResult().message).toEqual("Passed.");
       match(false).custom();
       expect(lastResult().message).toEqual("Expected it was called.");
       match(true).not.custom();
       expect(lastResult().message).toEqual("Expected it wasn't called.");
-      match(false).not.custom();
-      expect(lastResult().message).toEqual("Passed.");
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/spec/html/HtmlReporterSpec.js b/spec/html/HtmlReporterSpec.js
index b897259f..c87f5286 100644
--- a/spec/html/HtmlReporterSpec.js
+++ b/spec/html/HtmlReporterSpec.js
@@ -369,9 +369,7 @@ describe("New HtmlReporter", function() {
           failedExpectations: [
             {
               message: "a failure message",
-              trace: {
-                stack: "a stack trace"
-              }
+              stack: "a stack trace"
             }
           ]
         };
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index c23bd6da..ff743ca3 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -71,18 +71,21 @@
       }
     };
 
-    var exceptionFormatter = jasmine.exceptionFormatter;
-
     var specConstructor = jasmine.Spec;
 
     var getSpecName = function(spec, currentSuite) {
       return currentSuite.getFullName() + ' ' + spec.description + '.';
     };
 
-    var buildExpectationResult = jasmine.buildExpectationResult;
-    var expectationResultFactory = function(attrs) {
-      return buildExpectationResult(attrs);
-    };
+    // TODO: we may just be able to pass in the fn instead of wrapping here
+    var buildExpectationResult = jasmine.buildExpectationResult,
+      exceptionFormatter = new jasmine.ExceptionFormatter(),
+      expectationResultFactory = function(attrs) {
+        attrs.messageFormatter = exceptionFormatter.message;
+        attrs.stackFormatter = exceptionFormatter.stack;
+
+        return buildExpectationResult(attrs);
+      };
 
     // TODO: fix this naming, and here's where the value comes in
     this.catchExceptions = function(value) {
diff --git a/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js b/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js
index 7cb6032c..d0fb644f 100644
--- a/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js
+++ b/src/core/ExceptionFormatter.js
@@ -1,12 +1,21 @@
-jasmine.exceptionMessageFor = function(e) {
-  var message = e.name
-    + ': '
-    + e.message
-    + ' in '
-    + (e.fileName || e.sourceURL || '')
-    + ' (line '
-    + (e.line || e.lineNumber || '')
-    + ')';
+jasmine.ExceptionFormatter = function() {
+  this.message = function(error) {
+    var message = error.name
+      + ': '
+      + error.message;
 
-  return message;
-};
+    if (error.fileName || error.sourceURL) {
+      message += " in " + (error.fileName || error.sourceURL);
+    }
+
+    if (error.line || error.lineNumber) {
+      message += " (line " + (error.line || error.lineNumber) + ")"
+    }
+
+    return message;
+  };
+
+  this.stack = function(error) {
+    return error ? error.stack : null;
+  }
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/ExpectationResult.js b/src/core/ExpectationResult.js
index bc783ede..2d3c3d57 100644
--- a/src/core/ExpectationResult.js
+++ b/src/core/ExpectationResult.js
@@ -1,12 +1,41 @@
 //TODO: expectation result may make more sense as a presentation of an expectation.
-jasmine.buildExpectationResult = function(params) {
+jasmine.buildExpectationResult = function(options) {
+  var messageFormatter = options.messageFormatter || function() {},
+    stackFormatter = options.stackFormatter || function() {};
+
   return {
-    type: 'expect',
-    matcherName: params.matcherName,
-    expected: params.expected,
-    actual:  params.actual,
-    message: params.passed ? 'Passed.' : params.message,
-    trace: params.passed ? '' : (params.trace || new Error(this.message)),
-    passed: params.passed
+    matcherName: options.matcherName,
+    expected: options.expected,
+    actual: options.actual,
+    message: message(),
+    stack: stack(),
+    passed: options.passed
   };
+
+  function message() {
+    if (options.passed) {
+      return "Passed."
+    } else if (options.message) {
+      return options.message
+    } else if (options.error) {
+      return messageFormatter(options.error);
+    }
+    return ""
+  }
+
+  function stack() {
+    if (options.passed) {
+      return "";
+    }
+
+    var error = options.error;
+    if (!error) {
+      try {
+        throw new Error(message());
+      } catch (e) {
+        error = e;
+      }
+    }
+    return stackFormatter(error);
+  }
 };
diff --git a/src/core/Matchers.js b/src/core/Matchers.js
index 468c2a7e..d7de131b 100644
--- a/src/core/Matchers.js
+++ b/src/core/Matchers.js
@@ -53,21 +53,19 @@ jasmine.Matchers.matcherFn_ = function(matcherName, matcherFunction) {
         message += ".";
       }
     }
-    var expectationResult = jasmine.buildExpectationResult({
+
+    this.spec.addExpectationResult(result, {
       matcherName: matcherName,
       passed: result,
       expected: matcherArgs.length > 1 ? matcherArgs : matcherArgs[0],
       actual: this.actual,
       message: message
     });
-    this.spec.addExpectationResult(result, expectationResult);
     return jasmine.undefined;
   };
 };
 
 
-
-
 /**
  * toBe: compares the actual to the expected using ===
  * @param expected
@@ -147,11 +145,11 @@ jasmine.Matchers.prototype.toBeNull = function() {
  * Matcher that compares the actual to NaN.
  */
 jasmine.Matchers.prototype.toBeNaN = function() {
-	this.message = function() {
-		return [ "Expected " + jasmine.pp(this.actual) + " to be NaN." ];
-	};
+  this.message = function() {
+      return [ "Expected " + jasmine.pp(this.actual) + " to be NaN." ];
+  };
 
-	return (this.actual !== this.actual);
+  return (this.actual !== this.actual);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -366,7 +364,7 @@ jasmine.Matchers.Any.prototype.jasmineToString = function() {
   return '<jasmine.any(' + this.expectedClass + ')>';
 };
 
-jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining = function (sample) {
+jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining = function(sample) {
   this.sample = sample;
 };
 
@@ -392,6 +390,6 @@ jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining.prototype.jasmineMatches = function(other, mis
   return (mismatchKeys.length === 0 && mismatchValues.length === 0);
 };
 
-jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining.prototype.jasmineToString = function () {
+jasmine.Matchers.ObjectContaining.prototype.jasmineToString = function() {
   return "<jasmine.objectContaining(" + jasmine.pp(this.sample) + ")>";
 };
diff --git a/src/core/Spec.js b/src/core/Spec.js
index bc39cad3..5b6db399 100644
--- a/src/core/Spec.js
+++ b/src/core/Spec.js
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ jasmine.Spec = function(attrs) {
 
 jasmine.Spec.prototype.addExpectationResult = function(passed, data) {
   this.encounteredExpectations = true;
-  if (!passed) {
-    this.result.failedExpectations.push(data);
+  if (passed) {
+    return;
   }
+  this.result.failedExpectations.push(this.expectationResultFactory(data));
 };
 
 jasmine.Spec.prototype.expect = function(actual) {
@@ -51,14 +52,13 @@ jasmine.Spec.prototype.execute = function(onComplete) {
   this.queueRunner({
     fns: allFns,
     onException: function(e) {
-      self.addExpectationResult(false, self.expectationResultFactory({
+      self.addExpectationResult(false, {
         matcherName: "",
         passed: false,
         expected: "",
         actual: "",
-        message: self.exceptionFormatter(e),
-        trace: e
-      }));
+        error: e
+      });
     },
     onComplete: complete
   });
@@ -95,4 +95,4 @@ jasmine.Spec.prototype.status = function() {
 
 jasmine.Spec.prototype.getFullName = function() {
   return this.getSpecName(this);
-}
+};
diff --git a/src/html/HtmlReporter.js b/src/html/HtmlReporter.js
index 2c6ec006..09bcb8d3 100644
--- a/src/html/HtmlReporter.js
+++ b/src/html/HtmlReporter.js
@@ -79,9 +79,8 @@ jasmine.HtmlReporter = function(options) {
 
       for (var i = 0; i < result.failedExpectations.length; i++) {
         var expectation = result.failedExpectations[i];
-        var stack = (expectation.trace && expectation.trace.stack) || "";
         messages.appendChild(createDom("div", {className: "result-message"}, expectation.message));
-        messages.appendChild(createDom("div", {className: "stack-trace"}, stack));
+        messages.appendChild(createDom("div", {className: "stack-trace"}, expectation.stack));
       }
 
       failures.push(failure);