diff --git a/tests/snippets/attr.py b/tests/snippets/attr.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..439acfa79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/snippets/attr.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+from testutils import assertRaises
+
+
+class A:
+    pass
+
+
+a = A()
+a.b = 10
+assert hasattr(a, 'b')
+assert a.b == 10
+
+# test override attribute
+setattr(a, 'b', 12)
+assert a.b == 12
+assert getattr(a, 'b') == 12
+
+# test non-existent attribute
+with assertRaises(AttributeError):
+    _ = a.c
+
+with assertRaises(AttributeError):
+    getattr(a, 'c')
+
+assert getattr(a, 'c', 21) == 21
+
+# test set attribute
+setattr(a, 'c', 20)
+assert hasattr(a, 'c')
+assert a.c == 20
+
+# test delete attribute
+delattr(a, 'c')
+assert not hasattr(a, 'c')
+with assertRaises(AttributeError):
+    _ = a.c
+
+# test setting attribute on builtin
+with assertRaises(AttributeError):
+    None.a = 1
+
+with assertRaises(AttributeError):
+    setattr(None, 'a', 2)
+
+
+attrs = {}
+
+
+class CustomLookup:
+    def __getattr__(self, item):
+        return "value_{}".format(item)
+
+    def __setattr__(self, key, value):
+        attrs[key] = value
+
+
+custom = CustomLookup()
+
+assert custom.attr == "value_attr"
+
+custom.a = 2
+custom.b = 5
+assert attrs == {'a': 2, 'b': 5}
+
+
+class GetRaise:
+    def __init__(self, ex):
+        self.ex = ex
+
+    def __getattr__(self, item):
+        raise self.ex
+
+
+assert not hasattr(GetRaise(AttributeError()), 'a')
+with assertRaises(AttributeError):
+    getattr(GetRaise(AttributeError()), 'a')
+assert getattr(GetRaise(AttributeError()), 'a', 11) == 11
+
+with assertRaises(KeyError):
+    hasattr(GetRaise(KeyError()), 'a')
+with assertRaises(KeyError):
+    getattr(GetRaise(KeyError()), 'a')
+with assertRaises(KeyError):
+    getattr(GetRaise(KeyError()), 'a', 11)
diff --git a/vm/src/builtins.rs b/vm/src/builtins.rs
index e225773d6..dccaeee84 100644
--- a/vm/src/builtins.rs
+++ b/vm/src/builtins.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use crate::obj::objstr::{self, PyStringRef};
 use crate::obj::objtype;
 
 use crate::frame::Scope;
-use crate::function::{Args, PyFuncArgs};
+use crate::function::{Args, OptionalArg, PyFuncArgs};
 use crate::pyobject::{
     AttributeProtocol, IdProtocol, PyContext, PyObjectRef, PyResult, TypeProtocol,
 };
@@ -302,30 +302,38 @@ fn builtin_format(vm: &mut VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
     vm.call_method(obj, "__format__", vec![format_spec])
 }
 
-fn builtin_getattr(vm: &mut VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
-    arg_check!(
-        vm,
-        args,
-        required = [(obj, None), (attr, Some(vm.ctx.str_type()))]
-    );
-    vm.get_attribute(obj.clone(), attr.clone())
+fn catch_attr_exception<T>(ex: PyObjectRef, default: T, vm: &mut VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<T> {
+    if objtype::isinstance(&ex, &vm.ctx.exceptions.attribute_error) {
+        Ok(default)
+    } else {
+        Err(ex)
+    }
+}
+
+fn builtin_getattr(
+    obj: PyObjectRef,
+    attr: PyStringRef,
+    default: OptionalArg<PyObjectRef>,
+    vm: &mut VirtualMachine,
+) -> PyResult {
+    let ret = vm.get_attribute(obj.clone(), attr.into_object());
+    if let OptionalArg::Present(default) = default {
+        ret.or_else(|ex| catch_attr_exception(ex, default, vm))
+    } else {
+        ret
+    }
 }
 
 fn builtin_globals(vm: &mut VirtualMachine, _args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
     Ok(vm.current_scope().globals.clone())
 }
 
-fn builtin_hasattr(vm: &mut VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
-    arg_check!(
-        vm,
-        args,
-        required = [(obj, None), (attr, Some(vm.ctx.str_type()))]
-    );
-    let has_attr = match vm.get_attribute(obj.clone(), attr.clone()) {
-        Ok(..) => true,
-        Err(..) => false,
-    };
-    Ok(vm.context().new_bool(has_attr))
+fn builtin_hasattr(obj: PyObjectRef, attr: PyStringRef, vm: &mut VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<bool> {
+    if let Err(ex) = vm.get_attribute(obj.clone(), attr.into_object()) {
+        catch_attr_exception(ex, false, vm)
+    } else {
+        Ok(true)
+    }
 }
 
 fn builtin_hash(vm: &mut VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {