diff --git a/library/mysql_user b/library/mysql_user
index e30fde8ee62..7114d7bbd63 100755
--- a/library/mysql_user
+++ b/library/mysql_user
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ def main():
         else:
             db_connection = MySQLdb.connect(host=module.params["login_host"], user=login_user, passwd=login_password, db="mysql")
         cursor = db_connection.cursor()
-    except Exception as e:
+    except Exception, e:
         module.fail_json(msg="unable to connect to database, check login_user and login_password are correct or ~/.my.cnf has the credentials")
 
     if state == "present":