diff --git a/doc/manual.md b/doc/manual.md
index f140f5e30c97..842c3f3dc459 100644
--- a/doc/manual.md
+++ b/doc/manual.md
@@ -5169,7 +5169,7 @@ It is possible to raise/catch imported C++ exceptions. Types imported using
 `importcpp` can be raised or caught. Exceptions are raised by value and
 caught by reference. Example:
 
-  ```nim  test = "nim cpp -r $1"
+  ```nim
   type
     CStdException {.importcpp: "std::exception", header: "<exception>", inheritable.} = object
       ## does not inherit from `RootObj`, so we use `inheritable` instead
@@ -5187,7 +5187,7 @@ caught by reference. Example:
     except CStdException as e:
       doAssert e is CStdException
       b = e.what()
-    doAssert $b == "foo2", $b
+    doAssert $b == "foo2"
 
     try: raise initStdException()
     except CStdException: discard
diff --git a/testament/important_packages.nim b/testament/important_packages.nim
index 4ee0f03697fe..2d1554b1cafb 100644
--- a/testament/important_packages.nim
+++ b/testament/important_packages.nim
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ pkg "netty"
 pkg "nico", allowFailure = true
 pkg "nicy", "nim c -r src/nicy.nim"
 when defined(osx):
-  pkg "nigui", "nim c --clibdir:/usr/local/lib -o:niguii -r src/nigui.nim"
+  # gives "could not load: libgtk-3.0.dylib" on macos 13
+  # just test compiling instead of running
+  pkg "nigui", "nim c -o:niguii src/nigui.nim"
 else:
   pkg "nigui", "nim c -o:niguii -r src/nigui.nim"
 pkg "nimcrypto", "nim r --path:. tests/testall.nim" # `--path:.` workaround needed, see D20210308T165435
diff --git a/tests/cpp/temitlist.nim b/tests/cpp/temitlist.nim
index 9170be079643..c4d6ed9e794b 100644
--- a/tests/cpp/temitlist.nim
+++ b/tests/cpp/temitlist.nim
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ discard """
   output: '''
 6.0
 0'''
-disabled: "windows" # pending bug #18011
+#disabled: "windows" # pending bug #18011
 """
 
 # bug #4730
diff --git a/tests/cpp/tempty_generic_obj.nim b/tests/cpp/tempty_generic_obj.nim
index 6125190b4f0e..f1e273cc54b3 100644
--- a/tests/cpp/tempty_generic_obj.nim
+++ b/tests/cpp/tempty_generic_obj.nim
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ discard """
   output: '''
 int
 float'''
-disabled: "windows" # pending bug #18011
+#disabled: "windows" # pending bug #18011
 """
 
 import typetraits
diff --git a/tests/cpp/tmanual_exception.nim b/tests/cpp/tmanual_exception.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a91ccffe4cb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cpp/tmanual_exception.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+discard """
+  # doesn't work on macos 13 seemingly due to libc++ linking issue https://stackoverflow.com/a/77375947
+  disabled: osx
+  targets: cpp
+"""
+
+# manual example
+
+type
+  CStdException {.importcpp: "std::exception", header: "<exception>", inheritable.} = object
+    ## does not inherit from `RootObj`, so we use `inheritable` instead
+  CRuntimeError {.requiresInit, importcpp: "std::runtime_error", header: "<stdexcept>".} = object of CStdException
+    ## `CRuntimeError` has no default constructor => `requiresInit`
+proc what(s: CStdException): cstring {.importcpp: "((char *)#.what())".}
+proc initRuntimeError(a: cstring): CRuntimeError {.importcpp: "std::runtime_error(@)", constructor.}
+proc initStdException(): CStdException {.importcpp: "std::exception()", constructor.}
+
+proc fn() =
+  let a = initRuntimeError("foo")
+  doAssert $a.what == "foo"
+  var b: cstring
+  try: raise initRuntimeError("foo2")
+  except CStdException as e:
+    doAssert e is CStdException
+    b = e.what()
+  doAssert $b == "foo2"
+
+  try: raise initStdException()
+  except CStdException: discard
+
+  try: raise initRuntimeError("foo3")
+  except CRuntimeError as e:
+    b = e.what()
+  except CStdException:
+    doAssert false
+  doAssert $b == "foo3"
+
+fn()
diff --git a/tests/exception/tcpp_imported_exc.nim b/tests/exception/tcpp_imported_exc.nim
index 55a58440ffb5..0c7846956bb7 100644
--- a/tests/exception/tcpp_imported_exc.nim
+++ b/tests/exception/tcpp_imported_exc.nim
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ finally 2
 expected
 cpp exception caught
 '''
-disabled: "windows" # pending bug #18011
+# doesn't work on macos 13 seemingly due to libc++ linking issue https://stackoverflow.com/a/77375947
+disabled: osx
 """
 
 type