diff --git a/Objects/object.c b/Objects/object.c
--- a/Objects/object.c
+++ b/Objects/object.c
@@ -1057,6 +1057,29 @@
 
 /* Generic GetAttr functions - put these in your tp_[gs]etattro slot */
 
+/* XXX Add generic from_current_raise() and chain_exception()? */
+void
+from_current_raise(PyObject *name)
+{
+    PyObject *cause_tp, *cause_exc, *cause_tb, *tp, *exc, *arg, *msg;
+
+    msg = PyUnicode_FromFormat("getter failed for descriptor '%U'", name);
+    if (!msg)
+        return;
+    exc = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(PyExc_TypeError, msg, NULL);
+    Py_DECREF(msg);
+    if (!exc)
+        return;
+
+    // XXX why does cause_exc lose it's traceback?
+    PyErr_Fetch(&cause_tp, &cause_exc, &cause_tb);
+    PyException_SetCause(exc, cause_exc);
+    PyErr_SetObject(PyExceptionInstance_Class(exc), exc);
+    Py_XDECREF(cause_tp);
+    Py_XDECREF(cause_tb);
+    Py_DECREF(exc);
+}
+
 PyObject *
 _PyObject_GenericGetAttrWithDict(PyObject *obj, PyObject *name, PyObject *dict)
 {
@@ -1089,6 +1112,9 @@
         f = descr->ob_type->tp_descr_get;
         if (f != NULL && PyDescr_IsData(descr)) {
             res = f(descr, obj, (PyObject *)obj->ob_type);
+            if (!res && PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_AttributeError)) {
+                from_current_raise(name);
+            }
             goto done;
         }
     }
@@ -1127,6 +1153,9 @@
 
     if (f != NULL) {
         res = f(descr, obj, (PyObject *)Py_TYPE(obj));
+        if (!res && PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_AttributeError)) {
+            from_current_raise(name);
+        }
         goto done;
     }