diff --git a/lib/py/src/Thrift.py b/lib/py/src/Thrift.py
index a1ec6cc..aeca9b9 100644
--- a/lib/py/src/Thrift.py
+++ b/lib/py/src/Thrift.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 
   def __init__(self, message=None):
     Exception.__init__(self, message)
+    self.message = message
 
 class TApplicationException(TException):
 
diff --git a/lib/py/src/transport/TSocket.py b/lib/py/src/transport/TSocket.py
index 1f9c480..280d6aa 100644
--- a/lib/py/src/transport/TSocket.py
+++ b/lib/py/src/transport/TSocket.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
   """Socket implementation of TTransport base."""
 
-
   def __init__(self, host='localhost', port=9090):
     self.host = host
     self.port = port
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@
       self.handle = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
       self.handle.connect((self.host, self.port))
     except socket.error, e:
-      raise TTransportException(TTransportException.NOT_OPEN)
+      raise TTransportException(TTransportException.NOT_OPEN, 'Could not connect to %s:%d' % (self.host, self.port))
 
   def close(self):
     if self.handle != None:
diff --git a/lib/py/src/transport/TTransport.py b/lib/py/src/transport/TTransport.py
index b655b32..305c10b 100644
--- a/lib/py/src/transport/TTransport.py
+++ b/lib/py/src/transport/TTransport.py
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@
 
   """Custom Transport Exception class"""
 
-  UNKNOWN = 0,
-  NOT_OPEN = 1,
-  ALREADY_OPEN = 2,
-  TIMED_OUT = 3,
-  END_OF_FILE = 4,
+  UNKNOWN = 0
+  NOT_OPEN = 1
+  ALREADY_OPEN = 2
+  TIMED_OUT = 3
+  END_OF_FILE = 4
 
   def __init__(self, type=UNKNOWN, message=None):
     TException.__init__(self, message)