diff --git a/test/retryable_unittest.py b/test/retryable_unittest.py
index b3db510c7655f..62bf388ace3b6 100644
--- a/test/retryable_unittest.py
+++ b/test/retryable_unittest.py
@@ -34,4 +34,4 @@ def run(self, result=None):
         else:
           raise Exception('Internal error in RetryableTestCase: did not detect an error')
 
-        common.record_flaky_test(self.id(), EMTEST_RETRY_COUNT - retries_left, EMTEST_RETRY_COUNT, str(err))
+        common.record_flaky_test(self.id(), EMTEST_RETRY_COUNT - retries_left, EMTEST_RETRY_COUNT, err[1])