diff --git a/Lib/shelve.py b/Lib/shelve.py
index 8055f42..c8cba85 100644
--- a/Lib/shelve.py
+++ b/Lib/shelve.py
@@ -145,11 +145,12 @@
             self.dict.close()
         except AttributeError:
             pass
-        # _ClosedDict can be None when close is called from __del__ during shutdown
-        if _ClosedDict is None:
-            self.dict = None
-        else:
+        # Catch errors that may happen when close is called from __del__
+        # because CPython is in interpreter shutdown.
+        try:
             self.dict = _ClosedDict()
+        except (NameError, TypeError):
+            self.dict = None
 
     def __del__(self):
         if not hasattr(self, 'writeback'):