diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/CodeActions/AddCatchTypeAction.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/CodeActions/AddCatchTypeAction.cs
index 6a33592aa0..d88295db4a 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/CodeActions/AddCatchTypeAction.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/CodeActions/AddCatchTypeAction.cs
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 
 namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Refactoring
 {
-	[ContextAction("Add type",
-	               Description = "Adds an exception type specifier to catch clauses.")]
+	[ContextAction("Add type to general catch clause",
+	               Description = "Adds an exception type specifier to general catch clauses.")]
 	public class AddCatchTypeAction : ICodeActionProvider
 	{
 		#region ICodeActionProvider implementation
@@ -42,15 +42,16 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Refactoring
 			if (!catchClause.Type.IsNull)
 				yield break;
 			yield return new CodeAction(context.TranslateString("Add type specifier"), script => {
-				var newIdentifier = Identifier.Create("e");
 				var newType = context.CreateShortType("System", "Exception");
-				script.Replace(catchClause, new CatchClause() {
+				var namingHelper = new NamingHelper(context);
+				var newIdentifier = Identifier.Create(namingHelper.GenerateVariableName(newType, "e"));
+
+				script.Replace(catchClause, new CatchClause {
 					Type = newType,
 					VariableNameToken = newIdentifier,
 					Body = catchClause.Body.Clone() as BlockStatement
 				});
-				script.Link(newType);
-				script.Link(newIdentifier);
+				script.Select(newType);
 			});
 		}
 
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelper.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelper.cs
index b444afcc8c..afd32272a7 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelper.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelper.cs
@@ -103,22 +103,26 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Refactoring
 		/// <param name='type'>
 		/// The type of the variable.
 		/// </param>
-		public string GenerateVariableName(AstType type)
+		public string GenerateVariableName(AstType type, string baseName = null)
 		{
-			string firstSuggestion = null;
-			foreach (var name in NamingHelper.GenerateNameProposals(type)) {
-				firstSuggestion = firstSuggestion ?? name;
-				if (NameIsUnused(name)) {
-					usedVariableNames.Add(name);
-					return name;
+			if (baseName == null) {
+				foreach (var name in NamingHelper.GenerateNameProposals(type)) {
+					baseName = baseName ?? name;
+					if (NameIsUnused(name)) {
+						usedVariableNames.Add(name);
+						return name;
+					}
 				}
+			} else if (NameIsUnused(baseName)) {
+				return baseName;
 			}
+
 			// If we get here, all of the standard suggestions are already used.
 			// This will at least be the second variable named based on firstSuggestion, so start at 2
 			int counter = 2;
 			string proposedName;
 			do {
-				proposedName = firstSuggestion + counter++;
+				proposedName = baseName + counter++;
 			} while (!NameIsUnused(proposedName));
 			usedVariableNames.Add(proposedName);
 			return proposedName;
@@ -138,10 +142,10 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Refactoring
 		/// <param name='type'>
 		/// The type of the variable.
 		/// </param>
-		public string GenerateVariableName(IType type)
+		public string GenerateVariableName(IType type, string baseName = null)
 		{
 			AstType astType = ToAstType(type);
-			return GenerateVariableName(astType);
+			return GenerateVariableName(astType, baseName);
 		}
 
 		AstType ToAstType(IType type)
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.Tests/CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelperTests.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.Tests/CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelperTests.cs
index 401d93af0a..7f5547588c 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.Tests/CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelperTests.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.Tests/CSharp/Refactoring/NamingHelperTests.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Refactoring
 						var context = TestRefactoringContext.Create(input, expectErrors);
 						return context;
 				}
-
+		
 				[Test]
 				public void GenerateVariableNameTest()
 				{
@@ -71,6 +71,21 @@ class A
 						Assert.NotNull(name);
 						Assert.IsFalse(name == "i", "i was already used and should not be proposed.");
 				}
+		
+				[Test]
+				public void GenerateVariableNameBasedOnCustomBaseName()
+				{
+						var context = MakeContext(@"
+class A
+{
+	void F()
+	{ $ }
+}"
+						);
+						var name = new NamingHelper(context).GenerateVariableName(new PrimitiveType("int"), "integer");
+						Assert.NotNull(name);
+						Assert.AreEqual("integer", name);
+				}
 
 				[Test]
 				public void GenerateVariableNameIgnoresNamesUsedLaterInScope()