diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/language/maven_artifact.py b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/language/maven_artifact.py
index f529518545..1a33d1b989 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/language/maven_artifact.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/language/maven_artifact.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import os
 import hashlib
 import sys
 import posixpath
+from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
+from ansible.module_utils.urls import *
 
 DOCUMENTATION = '''
 ---
@@ -330,7 +332,7 @@ def main():
 
     try:
         artifact = Artifact(group_id, artifact_id, version, classifier, extension)
-    except ValueError, e:
+    except ValueError as e:
         module.fail_json(msg=e.args[0])
 
     prev_state = "absent"
@@ -351,12 +353,10 @@ def main():
             module.exit_json(state=state, dest=dest, group_id=group_id, artifact_id=artifact_id, version=version, classifier=classifier, extension=extension, repository_url=repository_url, changed=True)
         else:
             module.fail_json(msg="Unable to download the artifact")
-    except ValueError, e:
+    except ValueError as e:
         module.fail_json(msg=e.args[0])
 
 
-# import module snippets
-from ansible.module_utils.basic import *
-from ansible.module_utils.urls import *
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/layman.py b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/layman.py
index f9ace12120..ac6acd12d4 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/layman.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/layman.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def download_url(module, url, dest):
     try:
         with open(dest, 'w') as f:
             shutil.copyfileobj(response, f)
-    except IOError, e:
+    except IOError as e:
         raise ModuleError("Failed to write: %s" % str(e))
 
 
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def main():
         else:
             changed = uninstall_overlay(module, name)
 
-    except ModuleError, e:
+    except ModuleError as e:
         module.fail_json(msg=e.message)
     else:
         module.exit_json(changed=changed, name=name)
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/yum_repository.py b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/yum_repository.py
index 89de7eb381..27e4c83d4a 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/yum_repository.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/packaging/os/yum_repository.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 import ConfigParser
 import os
+from ansible.module_utils.pycompat24 import get_exception
 
 
 DOCUMENTATION = '''
@@ -575,7 +576,8 @@ class YumRepo(object):
             # Write data into the file
             try:
                 fd = open(self.params['dest'], 'wb')
-            except IOError, e:
+            except IOError:
+                e = get_exception()
                 self.module.fail_json(
                     msg="Cannot open repo file %s." % self.params['dest'],
                     details=str(e))
@@ -584,7 +586,8 @@ class YumRepo(object):
 
             try:
                 fd.close()
-            except IOError, e:
+            except IOError:
+                e = get_exception()
                 self.module.fail_json(
                     msg="Cannot write repo file %s." % self.params['dest'],
                     details=str(e))
@@ -592,7 +595,8 @@ class YumRepo(object):
             # Remove the file if there are not repos
             try:
                 os.remove(self.params['dest'])
-            except OSError, e:
+            except OSError:
+                e = get_exception()
                 self.module.fail_json(
                     msg=(
                         "Cannot remove empty repo file %s." %