diff --git a/lib/py/src/Thrift.py b/lib/py/src/Thrift.py
index 21d7aa4..5f2564d 100644
--- a/lib/py/src/Thrift.py
+++ b/lib/py/src/Thrift.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
+import sys
+
 class TType:
   STOP   = 0
   VOID   = 1
@@ -53,6 +55,14 @@
 
   """Base class for all thrift exceptions."""
 
+  # BaseException.message is deprecated in Python v[2.6,3.0)
+  if (2,6,0) <= sys.version_info < (3,0):
+    def _get_message(self):
+	    return self._message
+    def _set_message(self, message):
+	    self._message = message
+    message = property(_get_message, _set_message)
+
   def __init__(self, message=None):
     Exception.__init__(self, message)
     self.message = message