diff --git a/Lib/bdb.py b/Lib/bdb.py
index cab80a2..e4b6d39 100644
--- a/Lib/bdb.py
+++ b/Lib/bdb.py
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
 		try:
 			1 + ''
 		except:
-			frame = sys.exc_traceback.tb_frame.f_back
+			frame = sys.exc_info()[2].tb_frame.f_back
 		self.reset()
 		while frame:
 			frame.f_trace = self.trace_dispatch
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
 			try:
 				1 + ''	# raise an exception
 			except:
-				frame = sys.exc_traceback.tb_frame.f_back
+				frame = sys.exc_info()[2].tb_frame.f_back
 			while frame and frame is not self.botframe:
 				del frame.f_trace
 				frame = frame.f_back
diff --git a/Lib/cgi.py b/Lib/cgi.py
index 388e440..fb3076c 100755
--- a/Lib/cgi.py
+++ b/Lib/cgi.py
@@ -1210,7 +1210,7 @@
 
 def print_exception(type=None, value=None, tb=None, limit=None):
     if type is None:
-	type, value, tb = sys.exc_type, sys.exc_value, sys.exc_traceback
+	type, value, tb = sys.exc_info()
     import traceback
     print
     print "<H3>Traceback (innermost last):</H3>"
@@ -1220,6 +1220,7 @@
 	escape(string.join(list[:-1], "")),
 	escape(list[-1]),
 	)
+    del tb
 
 def print_environ(environ=os.environ):
     """Dump the shell environment as HTML."""
diff --git a/Lib/lib-old/tb.py b/Lib/lib-old/tb.py
index 641e8af..5c592ce 100644
--- a/Lib/lib-old/tb.py
+++ b/Lib/lib-old/tb.py
@@ -74,13 +74,14 @@
 	try:
 		exec cmd+'\n' in globals, locals
 	except:
+		t, v = sys.exc_info()[:2]
 		print '*** Exception:',
-		if type(sys.exc_type) == type(''):
-			print sys.exc_type,
+		if type(t) == type(''):
+			print t,
 		else:
-			print sys.exc_type.__name__,
-		if sys.exc_value <> None:
-			print ':', sys.exc_value,
+			print t.__name__,
+		if v <> None:
+			print ':', v,
 		print
 		print 'Type help to get help.'
 
diff --git a/Lib/mhlib.py b/Lib/mhlib.py
index 838b2f7..a78b2c7 100644
--- a/Lib/mhlib.py
+++ b/Lib/mhlib.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@
 		if not seqs.has_key(head):
 		    if not msg:
 			msg = "bad message list %s" % seq
-		    raise Error, msg, sys.exc_traceback
+		    raise Error, msg, sys.exc_info()[2]
 		msgs = seqs[head]
 		if not msgs:
 		    raise Error, "sequence %s empty" % head
diff --git a/Lib/ni.py b/Lib/ni.py
index fa24d30..95c9b59 100644
--- a/Lib/ni.py
+++ b/Lib/ni.py
@@ -412,8 +412,7 @@
     try:
 	testproper()
     except:
-	sys.last_type, sys.last_value, sys.last_traceback = (
-		sys.exc_type, sys.exc_value, sys.exc_traceback)
+	sys.last_type, sys.last_value, sys.last_traceback = sys.exc_info()
 	print
 	print sys.last_type, ':', sys.last_value
 	print
diff --git a/Lib/ni1.py b/Lib/ni1.py
index fa24d30..95c9b59 100644
--- a/Lib/ni1.py
+++ b/Lib/ni1.py
@@ -412,8 +412,7 @@
     try:
 	testproper()
     except:
-	sys.last_type, sys.last_value, sys.last_traceback = (
-		sys.exc_type, sys.exc_value, sys.exc_traceback)
+	sys.last_type, sys.last_value, sys.last_traceback = sys.exc_info()
 	print
 	print sys.last_type, ':', sys.last_value
 	print
diff --git a/Lib/pdb.py b/Lib/pdb.py
index 99e6191..0dc15a2 100755
--- a/Lib/pdb.py
+++ b/Lib/pdb.py
@@ -80,10 +80,11 @@
 			code = compile(line + '\n', '<stdin>', 'single')
 			exec code in globals, locals
 		except:
-			if type(sys.exc_type) == type(''):
-				exc_type_name = sys.exc_type
-			else: exc_type_name = sys.exc_type.__name__
-			print '***', exc_type_name + ':', sys.exc_value
+			t, v = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+			if type(t) == type(''):
+				exc_type_name = t
+			else: exc_type_name = t.__name__
+			print '***', exc_type_name + ':', v
 
 	# Command definitions, called by cmdloop()
 	# The argument is the remaining string on the command line
@@ -219,10 +220,11 @@
 			value = eval(arg, self.curframe.f_globals, \
 					self.curframe.f_locals)
 		except:
-			if type(sys.exc_type) == type(''):
-				exc_type_name = sys.exc_type
-			else: exc_type_name = sys.exc_type.__name__
-			print '***', exc_type_name + ':', `sys.exc_value`
+			t, v = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+			if type(t) == type(''):
+				exc_type_name = t
+			else: exc_type_name = t.__name__
+			print '***', exc_type_name + ':', `v`
 			return
 
 		print `value`
@@ -277,10 +279,11 @@
 			value = eval(arg, self.curframe.f_globals, \
 					self.curframe.f_locals)
 		except:
-			if type(sys.exc_type) == type(''):
-				exc_type_name = sys.exc_type
-			else: exc_type_name = sys.exc_type.__name__
-			print '***', exc_type_name + ':', `sys.exc_value`
+			t, v = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+			if type(t) == type(''):
+				exc_type_name = t
+			else: exc_type_name = t.__name__
+			print '***', exc_type_name + ':', `v`
 			return
 		code = None
 		# Is it a function?
diff --git a/Lib/tb.py b/Lib/tb.py
index 641e8af..5c592ce 100644
--- a/Lib/tb.py
+++ b/Lib/tb.py
@@ -74,13 +74,14 @@
 	try:
 		exec cmd+'\n' in globals, locals
 	except:
+		t, v = sys.exc_info()[:2]
 		print '*** Exception:',
-		if type(sys.exc_type) == type(''):
-			print sys.exc_type,
+		if type(t) == type(''):
+			print t,
 		else:
-			print sys.exc_type.__name__,
-		if sys.exc_value <> None:
-			print ':', sys.exc_value,
+			print t.__name__,
+		if v <> None:
+			print ':', v,
 		print
 		print 'Type help to get help.'
 
diff --git a/Lib/types.py b/Lib/types.py
index 5254ebc..aeac304 100644
--- a/Lib/types.py
+++ b/Lib/types.py
@@ -51,10 +51,12 @@
     raise TypeError
 except TypeError:
     try:
-	TracebackType = type(sys.exc_traceback)
-	FrameType = type(sys.exc_traceback.tb_frame)
+	tb = sys.exc_info()[2]
+	TracebackType = type(tb)
+	FrameType = type(tb.tb_frame)
     except:
 	pass
+    tb = None; del tb
 
 SliceType = type(slice(0))
 EllipsisType = type(Ellipsis)