Index: Python/ceval.c
===================================================================
--- Python/ceval.c	(revision 67679)
+++ Python/ceval.c	(working copy)
@@ -1832,6 +1833,29 @@
 				PyTuple_GetItem(co->co_varnames, oparg)
 				);
 			break;
+		case DELETE_DEREF:
+			x = freevars[oparg];
+            if (PyCell_GET(x) != NULL) {
+			    PyCell_Set(x, NULL);
+				continue;
+            }
+			/* Don't stomp existing exception */
+			if (PyErr_Occurred())
+				break;
+			if (oparg < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(co->co_cellvars)) {
+				v = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(co->co_cellvars,
+						       oparg);
+			       format_exc_check_arg(
+				       PyExc_UnboundLocalError,
+				       UNBOUNDLOCAL_ERROR_MSG,
+				       v);
+			} else {
+				v = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(co->co_freevars, oparg -
+					PyTuple_GET_SIZE(co->co_cellvars));
+				format_exc_check_arg(PyExc_NameError,
+						     UNBOUNDFREE_ERROR_MSG, v);
+			}
+			break;
 
 		case LOAD_CLOSURE:
 			x = freevars[oparg];
Index: Python/compile.c
===================================================================
--- Python/compile.c	(revision 67679)
+++ Python/compile.c	(working copy)
@@ -867,6 +867,8 @@
 			return 1;
 		case STORE_DEREF:
 			return -1;
+		case DELETE_DEREF:
+			return 0;
 		default:
 			fprintf(stderr, "opcode = %d\n", opcode);
 			Py_FatalError("opcode_stack_effect()");
@@ -2542,13 +2544,7 @@
 		case AugLoad:
 		case AugStore:
 			break;
-		case Del:
-			PyErr_Format(PyExc_SyntaxError,
-				     "can not delete variable '%S' referenced "
-				     "in nested scope",
-				     name);
-			Py_DECREF(mangled);
-			return 0;
+		case Del: op = DELETE_DEREF; break;
 		case Param:
 		default:
 			PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError,
Index: Lib/opcode.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/opcode.py	(revision 67679)
+++ Lib/opcode.py	(working copy)
@@ -162,6 +162,8 @@
 hasfree.append(136)
 def_op('STORE_DEREF', 137)
 hasfree.append(137)
+def_op('DELETE_DEREF', 138)
+hasfree.append(138)
 
 def_op('CALL_FUNCTION_VAR', 140)     # #args + (#kwargs << 8)
 def_op('CALL_FUNCTION_KW', 141)      # #args + (#kwargs << 8)