diff --git a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
index f98f12e..330f6a2 100644
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
@@ -2329,7 +2329,7 @@
 	ModDict = d; /* For PyCurses_InitScr */
 
 	/* For exception curses.error */
-	PyCursesError = PyString_FromString("_curses.error");
+	PyCursesError = PyErr_NewException("_curses.error", NULL, NULL);
 	PyDict_SetItemString(d, "error", PyCursesError);
 
 	/* Make the version available */
diff --git a/Modules/almodule.c b/Modules/almodule.c
index 13c9ebc..453a416 100644
--- a/Modules/almodule.c
+++ b/Modules/almodule.c
@@ -2195,7 +2195,7 @@
 
 	/* Add some symbolic constants to the module */
 	d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
-	ErrorObject = PyString_FromString("al.error");
+	ErrorObject = PyErr_NewException("al.error", NULL, NULL);
 	PyDict_SetItemString(d, "error", ErrorObject);
 
 	/* XXXX Add constants here */
diff --git a/Modules/pcremodule.c b/Modules/pcremodule.c
index 901f674..6fb2d07 100644
--- a/Modules/pcremodule.c
+++ b/Modules/pcremodule.c
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@
 
 	/* Add some symbolic constants to the module */
 	d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
-	ErrorObject = PyString_FromString("pcre.error");
+	ErrorObject = PyErr_NewException("pcre.error", NULL, NULL);
 	PyDict_SetItemString(d, "error", ErrorObject);
 
 	/* Insert the flags */