diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 49c3686..46a9712 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ set(HEADER_FILES
     io/copy.h
     io/inifile.h
     io/path.h
+    io/catchiofailure.h
     math/math.h
     misc/memory.h
     misc/random.h
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ set(SRC_FILES
     io/bitreader.cpp
     io/inifile.cpp
     io/path.cpp
+    io/catchiofailure.cpp
     math/math.cpp
     misc/random.cpp
     tests/testutils.cpp
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 89f52a2..f8826fd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ The repository [PKGBUILDs](https://github.com/Martchus/PKGBUILDs) contains files
 PKGBUILD files to build for Windows using the Mingw-w64 compiler are also included.
 
 ### Notes
-* Because of [GCC Bug 66145](https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=66145) usage of the new libstdc++ ABI
-  is currently disabled. Linking against cppunit built using new libstdc++ ABI isn't possible.
+* There is a workaround for [GCC Bug 66145](https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=66145) provided
+  in io/catchiofailure.h.
 
 ## TODO
 - remove unused features
diff --git a/cmake/modules/BasicConfig.cmake b/cmake/modules/BasicConfig.cmake
index ad62540..1ff6f5a 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/BasicConfig.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/BasicConfig.cmake
@@ -43,8 +43,11 @@ configure_file(
 include_directories("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
 
 # disable new ABI (can't catch ios_base::failure with new ABI)
-add_definitions(-D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0)
-message(STATUS "Forcing usage of old CXX11 ABI to be able to catch std::ios_base::failure.")
+set(FORCE_OLD_ABI "no" CACHE STRING "specifies whether usage of old ABI should be forced")
+if(${FORCE_OLD_ABI} STREQUAL "yes")
+    add_definitions(-D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0)
+    message(STATUS "Forcing usage of old CXX11 ABI.")
+endif()
 
 # enable debug-only code when doing a debug build
 if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
diff --git a/io/binaryreader.cpp b/io/binaryreader.cpp
index 8eeb969..7079ca9 100644
--- a/io/binaryreader.cpp
+++ b/io/binaryreader.cpp
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ string BinaryReader::readString(size_t length)
 string BinaryReader::readTerminatedString(byte termination)
 {
     stringstream ss(ios_base::in | ios_base::out | ios_base::binary);
-    // thrown ios_base::failure when badbit or failbit is set
     ss.exceptions(ios_base::badbit | ios_base::failbit);
     m_stream->get(*ss.rdbuf(), termination); // delim byte is not extracted from the stream
     m_stream->seekg(1, ios_base::cur); // "extract" delim byte manually
@@ -175,7 +174,6 @@ string BinaryReader::readTerminatedString(size_t maxBytesToRead, byte terminatio
 string BinaryReader::readMultibyteTerminatedStringBE(uint16 termination)
 {
     stringstream ss(ios_base::in | ios_base::out | ios_base::binary);
-    // thrown ios_base::failure when badbit or failbit is set
     ss.exceptions(ios_base::badbit | ios_base::failbit);
     char *delimChars = m_buffer, *buff = m_buffer + 2;
     ConversionUtilities::BE::getBytes(termination, delimChars);
@@ -196,7 +194,6 @@ string BinaryReader::readMultibyteTerminatedStringBE(uint16 termination)
 string BinaryReader::readMultibyteTerminatedStringLE(uint16 termination)
 {
     stringstream ss(ios_base::in | ios_base::out | ios_base::binary);
-    // thrown ios_base::failure when badbit or failbit is set
     ss.exceptions(ios_base::badbit | ios_base::failbit);
     char *delimChars = m_buffer, *buff = m_buffer + 2;
     ConversionUtilities::LE::getBytes(termination, delimChars);
diff --git a/io/bitreader.cpp b/io/bitreader.cpp
index 8d38b22..1dc6031 100644
--- a/io/bitreader.cpp
+++ b/io/bitreader.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "./bitreader.h"
+#include "./catchiofailure.h"
 
 using namespace std;
 
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ void BitReader::skipBits(std::size_t bitCount)
         m_bitsAvail -= bitCount;
     } else {
         if((m_buffer += 1 + (bitCount -= m_bitsAvail) / 8) >= m_end) {
-            throw ios_base::failure("end of buffer exceeded");
+            throwIoFailure("end of buffer exceeded");
         }
         m_bitsAvail = 8 - (bitCount % 8);
     }
diff --git a/io/catchiofailure.cpp b/io/catchiofailure.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7e593a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/io/catchiofailure.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// ensure the old ABI is used
+// TODO: add condition for GCC version if GCC Bug 66145 is fixed
+#define _GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI 0
+
+#include "./catchiofailure.h"
+
+#include <ios>
+
+using namespace std;
+
+namespace IoUtilities {
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Provides a workaround for GCC Bug 66145.
+ * \returns Returns the error message.
+ * \throws Throws the current exception if it is not std::ios_base::failure.
+ */
+const char *catchIoFailure()
+{
+    try {
+        throw;
+    } catch(const ios_base::failure &e) {
+        return e.what();
+    }
+}
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Throws a std::ios_base::failure with the specified message.
+ */
+void throwIoFailure(const char *what)
+{
+    throw ios_base::failure(what);
+}
+
+}
+
diff --git a/io/catchiofailure.h b/io/catchiofailure.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e2f2522
--- /dev/null
+++ b/io/catchiofailure.h
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#ifndef IOUTILITIES_CATCHIOFAILURE_H
+#define IOUTILITIES_CATCHIOFAILURE_H
+
+#include "../application/global.h"
+
+#include <string>
+
+namespace IoUtilities {
+
+LIB_EXPORT const char *catchIoFailure();
+LIB_EXPORT void throwIoFailure(const char *what);
+
+}
+
+#endif // IOUTILITIES_CATCHIOFAILURE_H
diff --git a/io/inifile.cpp b/io/inifile.cpp
index cc2972f..6c6cfab 100644
--- a/io/inifile.cpp
+++ b/io/inifile.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "./inifile.h"
+#include "./catchiofailure.h"
 
 #include <iostream>
 
@@ -135,13 +136,14 @@ void IniFile::parse(std::istream &inputStream)
                 break;
             }
         }
-    } catch (const ios_base::failure &) {
+    } catch(...) {
+        const char *what = catchIoFailure();
         if(inputStream.eof()) {
             // we just reached the end of the file
             // don't forget to save the last key/value pair
             finishKeyValue();
         } else {
-            throw;
+            throwIoFailure(what);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/iotests.cpp b/tests/iotests.cpp
index f67c028..0ae240b 100644
--- a/tests/iotests.cpp
+++ b/tests/iotests.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include "../io/path.h"
 #include "../io/inifile.h"
 #include "../io/copy.h"
+#include "../io/catchiofailure.h"
 
 #include <cppunit/extensions/HelperMacros.h>
 #include <cppunit/TestFixture.h>
@@ -57,17 +58,27 @@ void IoTests::tearDown()
 /*!
  * \brief Tests for GCC Bug 66145.
  * \sa https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=66145
+ * \remarks Using workaround now; hence testing workaround instead.
  */
 void IoTests::testFailure()
 {
-    fstream stream;
-    stream.exceptions(ios_base::failbit | ios_base::badbit);
-    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(stream.open("path/to/file/which/does/not/exist", ios_base::in), ios_base::failure);
+    //fstream stream;
+    //stream.exceptions(ios_base::failbit | ios_base::badbit);
+    //CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(stream.open("path/to/file/which/does/not/exist", ios_base::in), ios_base::failure);
     // check other exceptions used by my applications, too
     vector<int> testVec;
     map<string, string> testMap;
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(testVec.at(1), out_of_range);
     CPPUNIT_ASSERT_THROW(testMap.at("test"), out_of_range);
+
+    // check workaround
+    try {
+        fstream stream;
+        stream.exceptions(ios_base::failbit | ios_base::badbit);
+        stream.open("path/to/file/which/does/not/exist", ios_base::in);
+    } catch(...) {
+        catchIoFailure();
+    }
 }
 
 /*!
diff --git a/tests/testutils.cpp b/tests/testutils.cpp
index 09f7d3a..34c4c43 100644
--- a/tests/testutils.cpp
+++ b/tests/testutils.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "../application/failure.h"
 #include "../conversion/stringconversion.h"
+#include "../io/catchiofailure.h"
 
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
 using namespace std;
 using namespace ApplicationUtilities;
 using namespace ConversionUtilities;
+using namespace IoUtilities;
 
 /*!
  * \brief Contains classes and functions utilizing creating of test applications.
@@ -193,7 +195,8 @@ string TestApplication::workingCopyPath(const string &name) const
         workingCopy.open(path, ios_base::out | ios_base::binary | ios_base::trunc);
         workingCopy << origFile.rdbuf();
         return path;
-    } catch(const ios_base::failure &) {
+    } catch(...) {
+        catchIoFailure();
         cerr << "Unable to create working copy for \"" << name << "\": an IO error occured." << endl;
     }
     return string();