diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/run.py b/Lib/idlelib/run.py
index 577c49eb67b20d..04ce615621ee7c 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/run.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/run.py
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ def print_exception():
     efile = sys.stderr
     typ, val, tb = excinfo = sys.exc_info()
     sys.last_type, sys.last_value, sys.last_traceback = excinfo
+    sys.last_exc = val
     seen = set()
 
     def print_exc(typ, exc, tb):
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2023-04-06-16-55-51.gh-issue-102778.BWeAmE.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2023-04-06-16-55-51.gh-issue-102778.BWeAmE.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..64ae5b5b6d564b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2023-04-06-16-55-51.gh-issue-102778.BWeAmE.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Support ``sys.last_exc`` in :mod:`idlelib`.