diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index e800065..e633378 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ Bug fixes
   empty before executing a fixture.
   Fixes `#323 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-rerunfailures/issues/323>`_.
 
+- Accept exception classes (not only regex strings) in the ``only_rerun`` and
+  ``rerun_except`` marker keyword arguments instead of crashing with an
+  internal error.
+  Fixes `#275 <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest-rerunfailures/issues/275>`_.
+
 
 16.1 (2025-10-10)
 -----------------
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index e4691db..9fb4c9e 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -173,6 +173,14 @@ Or a list of strings:
    def test_example():
        raise AssertionError()
 
+Exception classes are also accepted and match any subclass:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   @pytest.mark.flaky(only_rerun=[AssertionError, ValueError])
+   def test_example():
+       raise AssertionError()
+
 
 You can use ``@pytest.mark.flaky(condition)`` similarly as ``@pytest.mark.skipif(condition)``, see `pytest-mark-skipif <https://docs.pytest.org/en/6.2.x/reference.html#pytest-mark-skipif>`_
 
diff --git a/src/pytest_rerunfailures.py b/src/pytest_rerunfailures.py
index a2cceed..6afd05e 100644
--- a/src/pytest_rerunfailures.py
+++ b/src/pytest_rerunfailures.py
@@ -286,8 +286,11 @@ def _matches_any_rerun_except_error(rerun_except_errors, excinfo):
 def _try_match_error(rerun_errors, excinfo):
     if excinfo:
         err = f"{excinfo.type.__name__}: {excinfo.value}"
-        for rerun_regex in rerun_errors:
-            if re.search(rerun_regex, err):
+        for rerun_error in rerun_errors:
+            if isinstance(rerun_error, type) and issubclass(rerun_error, BaseException):
+                if issubclass(excinfo.type, rerun_error):
+                    return True
+            elif re.search(rerun_error, err):
                 return True
     return False
 
diff --git a/tests/test_pytest_rerunfailures.py b/tests/test_pytest_rerunfailures.py
index 7156bc9..1174bf2 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytest_rerunfailures.py
+++ b/tests/test_pytest_rerunfailures.py
@@ -820,6 +820,30 @@ def test_fail():
     assert_outcomes(result, passed=0, failed=1, rerun=num_reruns)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "filter_kwarg,should_rerun",
+    [
+        ("only_rerun=[AssertionError]", True),
+        ("only_rerun=[ValueError]", False),
+        ("rerun_except=[AssertionError]", False),
+        ("rerun_except=[ValueError]", True),
+    ],
+)
+def test_rerun_filter_accepts_exception_classes(testdir, filter_kwarg, should_rerun):
+    testdir.makepyfile(
+        f"""
+        import pytest
+
+        @pytest.mark.flaky(reruns=1, {filter_kwarg})
+        def test_fail():
+            raise AssertionError("ERR")
+        """
+    )
+    result = testdir.runpytest()
+    num_reruns = 1 if should_rerun else 0
+    assert_outcomes(result, passed=0, failed=1, rerun=num_reruns)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "marker_rerun_except,cli_rerun_except,raised_error,should_rerun",
     [