diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/test-qapi.py b/tests/qapi-schema/test-qapi.py
index 73cffae2b6..2e384f5efd 100755
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/test-qapi.py
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/test-qapi.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def test_and_diff(test_name, dir_name, update):
         errfp = open(os.path.join(dir_name, test_name + '.err'), mode)
         expected_out = outfp.readlines()
         expected_err = errfp.readlines()
-    except IOError as err:
+    except OSError as err:
         print("%s: can't open '%s': %s"
               % (sys.argv[0], err.filename, err.strerror),
               file=sys.stderr)
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ def test_and_diff(test_name, dir_name, update):
         errfp.truncate(0)
         errfp.seek(0)
         errfp.writelines(actual_err)
-    except IOError as err:
+    except OSError as err:
         print("%s: can't write '%s': %s"
               % (sys.argv[0], err.filename, err.strerror),
               file=sys.stderr)