diff --git a/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py b/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py
index f68ef725d4..25d99411ca 100755
--- a/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py
+++ b/contrib/hg-to-git/hg-to-git.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ try:
         if o in ('-v', '--verbose'):
             verbose = True
     if len(args) != 1:
-        raise('params')
+        raise Exception('params')
 except:
     usage()
     sys.exit(1)