diff --git a/python/helpers/pycharm/nose_utils.py b/python/helpers/pycharm/nose_utils.py
index bed318a50bf0..9a6d68251cb3 100644
--- a/python/helpers/pycharm/nose_utils.py
+++ b/python/helpers/pycharm/nose_utils.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
-from tcmessages import TeamcityServiceMessages
-import sys, traceback, datetime
+import sys
+import traceback
+import datetime
 import unittest
+
+from tcmessages import TeamcityServiceMessages
 from tcunittest import strclass
 from tcunittest import TeamcityTestResult
 
+
 try:
   from nose.util import isclass # backwards compat
   from nose.config import Config
@@ -59,7 +63,10 @@ class TeamcityPlugin(ErrorClassPlugin, TextTestResult, TeamcityTestResult):
   def formatErr(self, err):
     exctype, value, tb = err
     if isinstance(value, str):
-      value = exctype(value)
+      try:
+        value = exctype(value)
+      except TypeError:
+        pass
     return ''.join(traceback.format_exception(exctype, value, tb))
 
   def is_gen(self, test):