diff --git a/tools/cefbuilds/cef_json_builder.py b/tools/cefbuilds/cef_json_builder.py
index ecd835a87..6d41d3f99 100644
--- a/tools/cefbuilds/cef_json_builder.py
+++ b/tools/cefbuilds/cef_json_builder.py
@@ -8,12 +8,11 @@ import datetime
 import json
 import os
 import re
+import sys
 
-try:
-  # Python 2
+if sys.version_info.major == 2:
   from urllib2 import urlopen
-except Exception as e:
-  # Python 3
+else:
   from urllib.request import urlopen
 
 # Class used to build the cefbuilds JSON file. See cef_json_builder_example.py
diff --git a/tools/file_util.py b/tools/file_util.py
index d112ff220..0741f6fd4 100644
--- a/tools/file_util.py
+++ b/tools/file_util.py
@@ -32,11 +32,9 @@ def write_file(name, data):
   try:
     with open(name, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as f:
       # write the data
-      try:
-        # Python 2
+      if sys.version_info.major == 2:
         f.write(data.decode('utf-8'))
-      except Exception as e:
-        # Python 3
+      else:
         f.write(data)
   except IOError as e:
     (errno, strerror) = e.args
diff --git a/tools/issue_1999.py b/tools/issue_1999.py
index 6c27d7040..0143690a2 100644
--- a/tools/issue_1999.py
+++ b/tools/issue_1999.py
@@ -97,11 +97,9 @@ def process_file(path):
 
   with open(path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as fp:
     str = "\n".join(result) + "\n"
-    try:
-      # Python 2
+    if sys.version_info.major == 2:
       fp.write(str.decode('utf-8'))
-    except Exception as e:
-      # Python 3
+    else:
       fp.write(str)
 
 
diff --git a/tools/make_distrib.py b/tools/make_distrib.py
index 8dac87272..b3211c558 100644
--- a/tools/make_distrib.py
+++ b/tools/make_distrib.py
@@ -252,11 +252,9 @@ def eval_transfer_file(cef_dir, script_dir, transfer_cfg, output_dir, quiet):
 
       str = cfg['source'] + "\n"
       with open(readme, 'a', encoding='utf-8') as fp:
-        try:
-          # Python 2
+        if sys.version_info.major == 2:
           fp.write(str.decode('utf-8'))
-        except Exception as e:
-          # Python 3
+        else:
           fp.write(str)
 
     # perform any required post-processing