diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/upload.py b/Lib/distutils/command/upload.py
index 4a9ed398a01..67ba080427c 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/upload.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/upload.py
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class upload(Command):
             http.endheaders()
             http.send(body)
         except socket.error, e:
-            self.announce(e.msg, log.ERROR)
+            self.announce(str(e), log.ERROR)
             return
 
         r = http.getresponse()