diff --git a/oslo/messaging/_drivers/common.py b/oslo/messaging/_drivers/common.py
index 724f09a21..854e87dc5 100644
--- a/oslo/messaging/_drivers/common.py
+++ b/oslo/messaging/_drivers/common.py
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ _ = lambda s: s
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+_EXCEPTIONS_MODULE = 'exceptions' if six.PY2 else 'builtins'
+
 
 '''RPC Envelope Version.
 
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ _exception_opts = [
                 default=['oslo.messaging.exceptions',
                          'nova.exception',
                          'cinder.exception',
-                         'exceptions',
+                         _EXCEPTIONS_MODULE,
                          ],
                 help='Modules of exceptions that are permitted to be recreated'
                      'upon receiving exception data from an rpc call.'),
@@ -337,7 +339,7 @@ def deserialize_remote_exception(data, allowed_remote_exmods):
 
     # NOTE(ameade): We DO NOT want to allow just any module to be imported, in
     # order to prevent arbitrary code execution.
-    if module != 'exceptions' and module not in allowed_remote_exmods:
+    if module != _EXCEPTIONS_MODULE and module not in allowed_remote_exmods:
         return messaging.RemoteError(name, failure.get('message'), trace)
 
     try:
diff --git a/tests/test_exception_serialization.py b/tests/test_exception_serialization.py
index 4c06c3a2c..efc4d50fc 100644
--- a/tests/test_exception_serialization.py
+++ b/tests/test_exception_serialization.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ from tests import utils as test_utils
 
 load_tests = testscenarios.load_tests_apply_scenarios
 
+EXCEPTIONS_MODULE = 'exceptions' if six.PY2 else 'builtins'
+
 
 class NovaStyleException(Exception):
 
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ class SerializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
                               args=['test'],
                               kwargs={},
                               clsname='Exception',
-                              modname='exceptions',
+                              modname=EXCEPTIONS_MODULE,
                               msg='test')),
         ('nova_style', dict(cls=NovaStyleException,
                             args=[],
@@ -157,7 +159,7 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
         ('bog_standard',
          dict(allowed=_standard_allowed,
               clsname='Exception',
-              modname='exceptions',
+              modname=EXCEPTIONS_MODULE,
               cls=Exception,
               args=['test'],
               kwargs={},
@@ -206,9 +208,9 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
               args=[],
               kwargs={},
               str=("Remote error: NovaStyleException test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               msg=("Remote error: NovaStyleException test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               remote_name='RemoteError',
               remote_args=(),
               remote_kwargs={'exc_type': 'NovaStyleException',
@@ -222,9 +224,9 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
               args=[],
               kwargs={},
               str=("Remote error: Exception test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               msg=("Remote error: Exception test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               remote_name='RemoteError',
               remote_args=(),
               remote_kwargs={'exc_type': 'Exception',
@@ -233,14 +235,14 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
         ('unknown_exception',
          dict(allowed=[],
               clsname='FarcicalError',
-              modname='exceptions',
+              modname=EXCEPTIONS_MODULE,
               cls=messaging.RemoteError,
               args=[],
               kwargs={},
               str=("Remote error: FarcicalError test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               msg=("Remote error: FarcicalError test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               remote_name='RemoteError',
               remote_args=(),
               remote_kwargs={'exc_type': 'FarcicalError',
@@ -249,14 +251,14 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
         ('unknown_kwarg',
          dict(allowed=[],
               clsname='Exception',
-              modname='exceptions',
+              modname=EXCEPTIONS_MODULE,
               cls=messaging.RemoteError,
               args=[],
               kwargs={'foobar': 'blaa'},
               str=("Remote error: Exception test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               msg=("Remote error: Exception test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               remote_name='RemoteError',
               remote_args=(),
               remote_kwargs={'exc_type': 'Exception',
@@ -265,14 +267,14 @@ class DeserializeRemoteExceptionTestCase(test_utils.BaseTestCase):
         ('system_exit',
          dict(allowed=[],
               clsname='SystemExit',
-              modname='exceptions',
+              modname=EXCEPTIONS_MODULE,
               cls=messaging.RemoteError,
               args=[],
               kwargs={},
               str=("Remote error: SystemExit test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               msg=("Remote error: SystemExit test\n"
-                   "[u'traceback\\ntraceback\\n']."),
+                   "[%r]." % u'traceback\ntraceback\n'),
               remote_name='RemoteError',
               remote_args=(),
               remote_kwargs={'exc_type': 'SystemExit',