diff --git a/bin/options.js b/bin/options.js
index 41f7222a62..60cbcd705e 100644
--- a/bin/options.js
+++ b/bin/options.js
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ function getOptions() {
     process.argv = process.argv
       .slice(0, 2)
       .concat(opts.concat(process.argv.slice(2)));
-  } catch (err) {
-    // ignore
+  } catch (ignore) {
+    // NOTE: should console.error() and throw the error
   }
 
   process.env.LOADED_MOCHA_OPTS = true;
diff --git a/lib/browser/progress.js b/lib/browser/progress.js
index 0dcb341898..7bf400b58e 100644
--- a/lib/browser/progress.js
+++ b/lib/browser/progress.js
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ Progress.prototype.draw = function(ctx) {
     var w = ctx.measureText(text).width;
 
     ctx.fillText(text, x - w / 2 + 1, y + fontSize / 2 - 1);
-  } catch (err) {
+  } catch (ignore) {
     // don't fail if we can't render progress
   }
   return this;
diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index 565d47d6e5..7ada7d1411 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ Runner.prototype.fail = function(test, err) {
   try {
     err.stack =
       this.fullStackTrace || !err.stack ? err.stack : stackFilter(err.stack);
-  } catch (ignored) {
+  } catch (ignore) {
     // some environments do not take kindly to monkeying with the stack
   }