FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version  " 1.7.0_40-ea " 
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_40-ea-b29)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.0-b48, mixed mode)


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
64 bit OS and VM.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
When binding an exception handler for a method using java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.catchException()  the binding will fail if the target has eight arguments plus a trailing vararg Object[] argument. Smaller numbers of arguments before the varargs work.

REGRESSION.  Last worked in version 7u25

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Build attached test case. Run it, and observe the output.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
java -classpath . MethodHandleBug
Java Version is 1.7.0_25.

Working case (8 args).

Handler is a MethodHandle(Exception)Object.
Body8 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim8 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim8 with Handler is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Body8 with exception is a MethodHandle(Exception,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim8 with fallback to body8 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.

Failing case (9 args).

Handler is a MethodHandle(Exception)Object.
Body9 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim9 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim9 with Handler is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Body9 with exception is a MethodHandle(Exception,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim9 with fallback to body9 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.

ACTUAL -
java -classpath . MethodHandleBug
Java Version is 1.7.0_40-ea.

Working case (8 args).

Handler is a MethodHandle(Exception)Object.
Body8 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim8 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim8 with Handler is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Body8 with exception is a MethodHandle(Exception,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim8 with fallback to body8 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.

Failing case (9 args).

Handler is a MethodHandle(Exception)Object.
Body9 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim9 is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Prim9 with Handler is a MethodHandle(Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object)Object.
Body9 with exception is a MethodHandle(Exception,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object.
Exception in thread  " main "  java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: target and handler types must match: (Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object)Object != (Exception,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object
at java.lang.invoke.MethodHandleStatics.newIllegalArgumentException(MethodHandleStatics.java:113)
at java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.misMatchedTypes(MethodHandles.java:2182)
at java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.catchException(MethodHandles.java:2245)
at MethodHandleBug.main(MethodHandleBug.java:98)


ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
Exception in thread  " main "  java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: target and handler types must match: (Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object)Object != (Exception,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object,Object[])Object
at java.lang.invoke.MethodHandleStatics.newIllegalArgumentException(MethodHandleStatics.java:113)
at java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.misMatchedTypes(MethodHandles.java:2182)
at java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles.catchException(MethodHandles.java:2245)
at MethodHandleBug.main(MethodHandleBug.java:98)


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.lang.invoke.MethodHandle;
import java.lang.invoke.MethodHandles;
import java.lang.invoke.MethodType;

public class MethodHandleBug {

    public static MethodHandle handler;
    public static MethodHandle body8;
    public static MethodHandle prim8;
    public static MethodHandle body9;
    public static MethodHandle prim9;
    
    public static Object handler(Exception e) {
        return null;
    }
    
    public static Object body8(
            Object a1, Object a2, Object a3, Object a4,
            Object a5, Object a6, Object a7, Object...a8) {
        return null;
    }
    
    public static Object prim8(
            Object a1, Object a2, Object a3, Object a4,
            Object a5, Object a6, Object a7, Object...a8) {
        return null;
    }
    

    public static Object body9(
            Object a1, Object a2, Object a3, Object a4,
            Object a5, Object a6, Object a7, Object a8, Object...a9) {
        return null;
    }
    
    public static Object prim9(
            Object a1, Object a2, Object a3, Object a4,
            Object a5, Object a6, Object a7, Object a8, Object...a9) {
        return null;
    }
    
    static {
        try {
            handler = MethodHandles.lookup().findStatic(
                    MethodHandleBug.class,  " handler " ,
                    MethodType.methodType(Object.class, Exception.class));
            prim8 = MethodHandles.lookup().findStatic(
                    MethodHandleBug.class,  " prim8 " ,
                    MethodType.methodType(
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object[].class));
            body8 = MethodHandles.lookup().findStatic(
                    MethodHandleBug.class,  " body8 " ,
                    MethodType.methodType(
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object[].class));
            prim9 = MethodHandles.lookup().findStatic(
                    MethodHandleBug.class,  " prim9 " ,
                    MethodType.methodType(
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object.class, Object[].class));
            body9 = MethodHandles.lookup().findStatic(
                    MethodHandleBug.class,  " body9 " ,
                    MethodType.methodType(
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object.class, Object.class, Object.class, Object.class,
                            Object.class, Object[].class));
        } catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.printf( " Java Version is %s.
 " , System.getProperty( " java.version " ));

        System.out.printf( " 
Working case (8 args).

 " );
        System.out.printf( " Handler is a %s.
Body8 is a %s.
Prim8 is a %s.
 " , handler, body8, prim8);
        MethodHandle primWithHandler8 = MethodHandles.catchException(
                prim8, Exception.class, handler);
        System.out.printf( " Prim8 with Handler is a %s.
 " , primWithHandler8);
        MethodHandle bodyWithEXcp8 = MethodHandles.dropArguments(body8, 0, Exception.class);
        System.out.printf( " Body8 with exception is a %s.
 " , bodyWithEXcp8);
        MethodHandle primFallBackToBody8 = MethodHandles.catchException(
            primWithHandler8, Exception.class, bodyWithEXcp8);
        System.out.printf( " Prim8 with fallback to body8 is a %s.
 " , primFallBackToBody8);
        
        System.out.printf( " 
Failing case (9 args).

 " );
        System.out.printf( " Handler is a %s.
Body9 is a %s.
Prim9 is a %s.
 " , handler, body9, prim9);
        MethodHandle primWithHandler9 = MethodHandles.catchException(
                prim9, Exception.class, handler);
        System.out.printf( " Prim9 with Handler is a %s.
 " , primWithHandler9);
        MethodHandle bodyWithEXcp9 = MethodHandles.dropArguments(
            body9, 0, Exception.class);
        System.out.printf( " Body9 with exception is a %s.
 " , bodyWithEXcp9);
        MethodHandle primFallBackToBody9 = MethodHandles.catchException(
            primWithHandler9, Exception.class, bodyWithEXcp9);
        System.out.printf( " Prim9 with fallback to body9 is a %s.
 " , primFallBackToBody9);
    }
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
We have changed our source to work round this problem by gathering more args as varargs, but the same problem could crop up in other areas we have not yet tested.