diff --git a/vm/src/exceptions.rs b/vm/src/exceptions.rs
index 0df709bb13..5f87fbba5f 100644
--- a/vm/src/exceptions.rs
+++ b/vm/src/exceptions.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ pub struct PyBaseException {
     cause: RefCell<Option<PyObjectRef>>,
     context: RefCell<Option<PyObjectRef>>,
     suppress_context: Cell<bool>,
+    args: RefCell<PyObjectRef>,
 }
 pub type PyBaseExceptionRef = PyRef<PyBaseException>;
 
@@ -44,10 +45,28 @@ impl PyBaseException {
             cause: RefCell::new(None),
             context: RefCell::new(None),
             suppress_context: Cell::new(false),
+            args: RefCell::new(vm.ctx.new_tuple(vec![])),
         }
         .into_ref_with_type(vm, cls)
     }
 
+    #[pymethod(name = "__init__")]
+    fn init(&self, args: PyFuncArgs, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<()> {
+        self.args.replace(vm.ctx.new_tuple(args.args.to_vec()));
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[pyproperty]
+    fn args(&self, _vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyObjectRef {
+        self.args.borrow().clone()
+    }
+
+    #[pyproperty(setter)]
+    fn set_args(&self, args: PyObjectRef, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult {
+        self.args.replace(args);
+        Ok(vm.get_none())
+    }
+
     #[pyproperty(name = "__traceback__")]
     fn get_traceback(&self, _vm: &VirtualMachine) -> Option<PyTracebackRef> {
         self.traceback.borrow().clone()
@@ -103,14 +122,6 @@ impl PyBaseException {
     }
 }
 
-fn exception_init(vm: &VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
-    let exc_self = args.args[0].clone();
-    let exc_args = vm.ctx.new_tuple(args.args[1..].to_vec());
-    vm.set_attr(&exc_self, "args", exc_args)?;
-
-    Ok(vm.get_none())
-}
-
 /// Print exception chain
 pub fn print_exception(vm: &VirtualMachine, exc: &PyObjectRef) {
     let _ = write_exception(io::stdout(), vm, exc);
@@ -463,10 +474,9 @@ impl ExceptionZoo {
 }
 
 fn import_error_init(vm: &VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
-    // TODO: call super().__init__(*args) instead
-    exception_init(vm, args.clone())?;
-
     let exc_self = args.args[0].clone();
+
+    vm.set_attr(&exc_self, "args", vm.ctx.new_tuple(args.args[1..].to_vec()))?;
     vm.set_attr(
         &exc_self,
         "name",
@@ -494,9 +504,6 @@ fn import_error_init(vm: &VirtualMachine, args: PyFuncArgs) -> PyResult {
 pub fn init(context: &PyContext) {
     let base_exception_type = &context.exceptions.base_exception_type;
     PyBaseException::extend_class(context, base_exception_type);
-    extend_class!(context, base_exception_type, {
-        "__init__" => context.new_rustfunc(exception_init),
-    });
 
     let exception_type = &context.exceptions.exception_type;
     extend_class!(context, exception_type, {