diff --git a/mitogen/unix.py b/mitogen/unix.py
index 056c604d..417842bc 100644
--- a/mitogen/unix.py
+++ b/mitogen/unix.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def is_path_dead(path):
         s.connect(path)
     except socket.error:
         e = sys.exc_info()[1]
-        return e[0] in (errno.ECONNREFUSED, errno.ENOENT)
+        return e.args[0] in (errno.ECONNREFUSED, errno.ENOENT)
     return False