diff --git a/scripts-dev/dump_macaroon.py b/scripts-dev/dump_macaroon.py
index 6e45be75d..fcc556883 100755
--- a/scripts-dev/dump_macaroon.py
+++ b/scripts-dev/dump_macaroon.py
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ try:
     verifier.verify(macaroon, key)
     print "Signature is correct"
 except Exception as e:
-    print e.message
+    print str(e)
diff --git a/synapse/api/filtering.py b/synapse/api/filtering.py
index a31a9a17e..eed8c67e6 100644
--- a/synapse/api/filtering.py
+++ b/synapse/api/filtering.py
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class Filtering(object):
             jsonschema.validate(user_filter_json, USER_FILTER_SCHEMA,
                                 format_checker=FormatChecker())
         except jsonschema.ValidationError as e:
-            raise SynapseError(400, e.message)
+            raise SynapseError(400, str(e))
 
 
 class FilterCollection(object):
diff --git a/synapse/app/__init__.py b/synapse/app/__init__.py
index 3b6b9368b..c3afcc573 100644
--- a/synapse/app/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/app/__init__.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ try:
     python_dependencies.check_requirements()
 except python_dependencies.MissingRequirementError as e:
     message = "\n".join([
-        "Missing Requirement: %s" % (e.message,),
+        "Missing Requirement: %s" % (str(e),),
         "To install run:",
         "    pip install --upgrade --force \"%s\"" % (e.dependency,),
         "",
diff --git a/synapse/app/appservice.py b/synapse/app/appservice.py
index 02039f7e7..8559e141a 100644
--- a/synapse/app/appservice.py
+++ b/synapse/app/appservice.py
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse appservice", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.appservice"
diff --git a/synapse/app/client_reader.py b/synapse/app/client_reader.py
index 4c73c637b..76aed8c60 100644
--- a/synapse/app/client_reader.py
+++ b/synapse/app/client_reader.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse client reader", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.client_reader"
diff --git a/synapse/app/event_creator.py b/synapse/app/event_creator.py
index bc82197b2..9060ab14f 100644
--- a/synapse/app/event_creator.py
+++ b/synapse/app/event_creator.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse event creator", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.event_creator"
diff --git a/synapse/app/federation_reader.py b/synapse/app/federation_reader.py
index 18ca71ef9..228a297fb 100644
--- a/synapse/app/federation_reader.py
+++ b/synapse/app/federation_reader.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse federation reader", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.federation_reader"
diff --git a/synapse/app/federation_sender.py b/synapse/app/federation_sender.py
index 6501c5779..e9a99d76e 100644
--- a/synapse/app/federation_sender.py
+++ b/synapse/app/federation_sender.py
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse federation sender", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.federation_sender"
diff --git a/synapse/app/frontend_proxy.py b/synapse/app/frontend_proxy.py
index b076fbe52..fc4b25de1 100644
--- a/synapse/app/frontend_proxy.py
+++ b/synapse/app/frontend_proxy.py
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse frontend proxy", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.frontend_proxy"
diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 8c5d858b0..a98fdbd21 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
         try:
             database_engine.check_database(db_conn.cursor())
         except IncorrectDatabaseSetup as e:
-            quit_with_error(e.message)
+            quit_with_error(str(e))
 
 
 # Gauges to expose monthly active user control metrics
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ def setup(config_options):
             config_options,
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     if not config:
diff --git a/synapse/app/media_repository.py b/synapse/app/media_repository.py
index 992d182db..acc0487ad 100644
--- a/synapse/app/media_repository.py
+++ b/synapse/app/media_repository.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse media repository", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.media_repository"
diff --git a/synapse/app/pusher.py b/synapse/app/pusher.py
index 2ec4c7def..630dcda47 100644
--- a/synapse/app/pusher.py
+++ b/synapse/app/pusher.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse pusher", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.pusher"
diff --git a/synapse/app/synchrotron.py b/synapse/app/synchrotron.py
index df81b7bcb..9a7fc6ee9 100644
--- a/synapse/app/synchrotron.py
+++ b/synapse/app/synchrotron.py
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse synchrotron", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.synchrotron"
diff --git a/synapse/app/user_dir.py b/synapse/app/user_dir.py
index b383e79c1..0a5f62b50 100644
--- a/synapse/app/user_dir.py
+++ b/synapse/app/user_dir.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def start(config_options):
             "Synapse user directory", config_options
         )
     except ConfigError as e:
-        sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+        sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
         sys.exit(1)
 
     assert config.worker_app == "synapse.app.user_dir"
diff --git a/synapse/config/__main__.py b/synapse/config/__main__.py
index 58c97a70a..8fccf573e 100644
--- a/synapse/config/__main__.py
+++ b/synapse/config/__main__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         try:
             config = HomeServerConfig.load_config("", sys.argv[3:])
         except ConfigError as e:
-            sys.stderr.write("\n" + e.message + "\n")
+            sys.stderr.write("\n" + str(e) + "\n")
             sys.exit(1)
 
         print (getattr(config, key))
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py b/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py
index 578e9250f..9dc46aa15 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/e2e_keys.py
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ class E2eKeysHandler(object):
 def _exception_to_failure(e):
     if isinstance(e, CodeMessageException):
         return {
-            "status": e.code, "message": e.message,
+            "status": e.code, "message": str(e),
         }
 
     if isinstance(e, NotRetryingDestination):
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/profile.py b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
index 75b8b7ce6..f284d5a38 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/profile.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/profile.py
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ class BaseProfileHandler(BaseHandler):
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.warn(
                     "Failed to update join event for room %s - %s",
-                    room_id, str(e.message)
+                    room_id, str(e)
                 )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unittest.py b/tests/unittest.py
index ef905e638..043710afa 100644
--- a/tests/unittest.py
+++ b/tests/unittest.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             try:
                 self.assertEquals(attrs[key], getattr(obj, key))
             except AssertionError as e:
-                raise (type(e))(e.message + " for '.%s'" % key)
+                raise (type(e))(str(e) + " for '.%s'" % key)
 
     def assert_dict(self, required, actual):
         """Does a partial assert of a dict.