diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLink.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLink.java
index 5add75169a6..4fdb0815afc 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLink.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLink.java
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@
 /** Matches misuse of link tags within throws tags. */
 @BugPattern(
     summary =
-        "Javadoc links to exceptions in @throws without a @link tag (@throws Exception, not"
-            + " @throws {@link Exception}).",
+        "Don't use {@link} or {@code} in @throws tags; mention the exception name directly (e.g.,"
+            + " @throws IOException, not @throws {@link IOException}).",
     severity = WARNING,
     tags = StandardTags.STYLE,
     documentSuppression = false)
@@ -79,5 +79,5 @@ public Void visitErroneous(ErroneousTree node, Void unused) {
     }
   }
 
-  private static final Pattern THROWS_LINK = Pattern.compile("^@throws \\{@link ([^}]+)}");
+  private static final Pattern THROWS_LINK = Pattern.compile("^@throws \\{@(?:link|code) ([^}]+)}");
 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLinkTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLinkTest.java
index babf8844d4c..12a63e3278a 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLinkTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/javadoc/InvalidThrowsLinkTest.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public void positive() {
             interface Test {
               /**
                * @throws {@link IOException} when failed
+               * @throws {@code IllegalArgumentException} if a < 0
                */
               void foo(int a, int b) throws IOException;
             }
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ interface Test {
             interface Test {
               /**
                * @throws IOException when failed
+               * @throws IllegalArgumentException if a < 0
                */
               void foo(int a, int b) throws IOException;
             }