diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/run.py b/Lib/idlelib/run.py
index 6440e673bf5..176fe3db743 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/run.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/run.py
@@ -134,13 +134,17 @@ def main(del_exitfunc=False):
                     # exiting but got an extra KBI? Try again!
                     continue
             try:
-                seq, request = rpc.request_queue.get(block=True, timeout=0.05)
+                request = rpc.request_queue.get(block=True, timeout=0.05)
             except queue.Empty:
+                request = None
+                # Issue 32207: calling handle_tk_events here adds spurious
+                # queue.Empty traceback to event handling exceptions.
+            if request:
+                seq, (method, args, kwargs) = request
+                ret = method(*args, **kwargs)
+                rpc.response_queue.put((seq, ret))
+            else:
                 handle_tk_events()
-                continue
-            method, args, kwargs = request
-            ret = method(*args, **kwargs)
-            rpc.response_queue.put((seq, ret))
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             if quitting:
                 exit_now = True
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2017-12-04-15-04-43.bpo-32207.IzyAJo.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2017-12-04-15-04-43.bpo-32207.IzyAJo.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e521c9b0bbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2017-12-04-15-04-43.bpo-32207.IzyAJo.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Improve tk event exception tracebacks in IDLE.
+When tk event handling is driven by IDLE's run loop, a confusing
+and distracting queue.EMPTY traceback context is no longer added
+to tk event exception tracebacks.  The traceback is now the same
+as when event handling is driven by user code.  Patch based on a
+suggestion by Serhiy Storchaka.