diff --git a/include/ircd/exception.h b/include/ircd/exception.h
index 242299efa..d6f3b7e6b 100644
--- a/include/ircd/exception.h
+++ b/include/ircd/exception.h
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ struct exception
 
 	char buf[BUFSIZE];
 
-	ssize_t generate(const char *const &name, const char *const &fmt, va_list ap) noexcept;
-	ssize_t generate(const char *const &fmt, va_list ap) noexcept;
+	ssize_t generate(const char *const &name, const char *const &fmt, const va_rtti &ap) noexcept;
+	ssize_t generate(const char *const &fmt, const va_rtti &ap) noexcept;
 
   public:
 	const char *what() const noexcept override
@@ -106,13 +106,11 @@ struct exception
 struct name                                                                   \
 :parent                                                                       \
 {                                                                             \
-    name(const char *const fmt = " ", ...) noexcept AFP(2, 3)                 \
+    template<class... args>                                                   \
+    name(const char *const fmt = " ", args&&... ap) noexcept                  \
     :parent{generate_skip}                                                    \
     {                                                                         \
-        va_list ap;                                                           \
-        va_start(ap, fmt);                                                    \
-        generate(#name, fmt, ap);                                             \
-        va_end(ap);                                                           \
+        generate(#name, fmt, va_rtti{std::forward<args>(ap)...});             \
     }                                                                         \
                                                                               \
     name(const generate_skip_t) noexcept                                      \
@@ -125,13 +123,11 @@ struct name                                                                   \
 struct name                                                                   \
 :parent                                                                       \
 {                                                                             \
-    name(const char *const fmt, ...) noexcept AFP(2, 3)                       \
-    parent{generate_skip_t}                                                   \
+    template<class... args>                                                   \
+    name(const char *const fmt = " ", args&&... ap) noexcept                  \
+    :parent{generate_skip_t}                                                  \
     {                                                                         \
-        va_list ap;                                                           \
-        va_start(ap, fmt);                                                    \
-        generate(fmt, ap);                                                    \
-        va_end(ap);                                                           \
+        generate(fmt, va_rtti{std::forward<args>(ap)...});                    \
     }                                                                         \
                                                                               \
     name(const generate_skip_t = {}) noexcept                                 \
diff --git a/ircd/exception.cc b/ircd/exception.cc
index e2659db47..783275685 100644
--- a/ircd/exception.cc
+++ b/ircd/exception.cc
@@ -23,20 +23,18 @@
  *
  */
 
-using namespace ircd;
-
 ssize_t
-exception::generate(const char *const &fmt,
-                    va_list ap)
+ircd::exception::generate(const char *const &fmt,
+                          const va_rtti &ap)
 noexcept
 {
-	return vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
+	return fmt::vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
 }
 
 ssize_t
-exception::generate(const char *const &name,
-                    const char *const &fmt,
-                    va_list ap)
+ircd::exception::generate(const char *const &name,
+                          const char *const &fmt,
+                          const va_rtti &ap)
 noexcept
 {
 	size_t size(0);
@@ -44,7 +42,7 @@ noexcept
 	size = strlcat(buf, name, sizeof(buf));
 	size = strlcat(buf, empty? "." : ": ", sizeof(buf));
 	if(size < sizeof(buf))
-		size += vsnprintf(buf + size, sizeof(buf) - size, fmt, ap);
+		size += fmt::vsnprintf(buf + size, sizeof(buf) - size, fmt, ap);
 
 	return size;
 }