diff --git a/win32/Lib/pywin32_bootstrap.py b/win32/Lib/pywin32_bootstrap.py
index d2e5c21aa..b13add363 100644
--- a/win32/Lib/pywin32_bootstrap.py
+++ b/win32/Lib/pywin32_bootstrap.py
@@ -9,14 +9,9 @@
 import os
 
 
-try:
-    Exc = ModuleNotFoundError  # Introduced in Python 3.6
-except NameError:
-    Exc = ImportError
-
 try:
     import pywin32_system32
-except Exc:
+except ImportError:  # Python ≥3.6: replace ImportError with ModuleNotFoundError
     pass
 else:
     # We're guaranteed only that __path__: Iterable[str]