diff --git a/Lib/uu.py b/Lib/uu.py
index 252576d..e39b61b 100755
--- a/Lib/uu.py
+++ b/Lib/uu.py
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
 import string
 import sys
 
-Error = 'uu.Error'
+class Error(Exception):
+    pass
 
 def encode(in_file, out_file, name=None, mode=None):
     """Uuencode file"""