diff --git a/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.h b/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.h
--- a/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.h
+++ b/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.h
@@ -6,6 +6,26 @@
 //
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 
+//
+// !! FIXME FIXME FIXME !!
+//
+// Python APIs nearly all can return an exception.   They do this
+// by returning NULL, or -1, or some such value and setting
+// the exception state with PyErr_Set*().   Exceptions must be
+// handled before further python API functions are called.   Failure
+// to do so will result in asserts on debug builds of python.
+// It will also sometimes, but not usually result in crashes of
+// release builds.
+//
+// Nearly all the code in this header does not handle python exceptions
+// correctly.  It should all be converted to return Expected<> or
+// Error types to capture the exception.
+//
+// Everything in this file except functions that return Error or
+// Expected<> is considered deprecated and should not be
+// used in new code.  If you need to use it, fix it first.
+//
+
 #ifndef LLDB_PLUGINS_SCRIPTINTERPRETER_PYTHON_PYTHONDATAOBJECTS_H
 #define LLDB_PLUGINS_SCRIPTINTERPRETER_PYTHON_PYTHONDATAOBJECTS_H
 
@@ -21,11 +41,16 @@
 
 namespace lldb_private {
 
+using llvm::Error;
+using llvm::Expected;
+
+class PythonObject;
 class PythonBytes;
 class PythonString;
 class PythonList;
 class PythonDictionary;
 class PythonInteger;
+class PythonException;
 
 class StructuredPythonObject : public StructuredData::Generic {
 public:
@@ -72,10 +97,43 @@
             // not call Py_INCREF.
 };
 
+namespace python {
+
+// Take a reference that you already own, and turn it into
+// a PythonObject.
+template <typename T> static T Take(PyObject *obj) {
+  return T(PyRefType::Owned, obj);
+}
+
+// Retain a reference you have borrowed, and turn it into
+// a PythonObject.
+template <typename T> static T Retain(PyObject *obj) {
+  return T(PyRefType::Borrowed, obj);
+}
+
+// Most python API methods will return NULL if and only if
+// they set an exception.   Use this to collect such return
+// values.
+//
+// If you pass something ohter than PythonObject as T,
+// you are NOT asserting that the thing is actually of
+// type T.   You'll get an invalid T back in that case,
+// so check if you need to.
+template <typename T> static T AssertTake(PyObject *obj) {
+  assert(obj);
+  assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
+  T thing(PyRefType::Owned, obj);
+  return thing;
+}
+
+} // namespace python
+
 enum class PyInitialValue { Invalid, Empty };
 
 class PythonObject {
 public:
+  operator PyObject *() const { return m_py_obj; };
+
   PythonObject() : m_py_obj(nullptr) {}
 
   PythonObject(PyRefType type, PyObject *py_obj) : m_py_obj(nullptr) {
@@ -84,14 +142,19 @@
 
   PythonObject(const PythonObject &rhs) : m_py_obj(nullptr) { Reset(rhs); }
 
+  PythonObject(PythonObject &&rhs) {
+    m_py_obj = rhs.m_py_obj;
+    rhs.m_py_obj = nullptr;
+  }
+
   virtual ~PythonObject() { Reset(); }
 
   void Reset() {
     // Avoid calling the virtual method since it's not necessary
     // to actually validate the type of the PyObject if we're
     // just setting to null.
-    if (Py_IsInitialized())
-      Py_XDECREF(m_py_obj);
+    if (m_py_obj && Py_IsInitialized())
+      Py_DECREF(m_py_obj);
     m_py_obj = nullptr;
   }
 
@@ -110,6 +173,8 @@
   // PyRefType doesn't make sense, and the copy constructor should be used.
   void Reset(PyRefType type, const PythonObject &ref) = delete;
 
+  // FIXME We shouldn't have virtual anything.  PythonObject should be a
+  // strictly pass-by-value type.
   virtual void Reset(PyRefType type, PyObject *py_obj) {
     if (py_obj == m_py_obj)
       return;
@@ -123,7 +188,7 @@
     // an owned reference by incrementing it.  If it is an owned
     // reference (for example the caller allocated it with PyDict_New()
     // then we must *not* increment it.
-    if (Py_IsInitialized() && type == PyRefType::Borrowed)
+    if (m_py_obj && Py_IsInitialized() && type == PyRefType::Borrowed)
       Py_XINCREF(m_py_obj);
   }
 
@@ -149,6 +214,17 @@
     return *this;
   }
 
+  void Reset(PythonObject &&other) {
+    Reset();
+    m_py_obj = other.m_py_obj;
+    other.m_py_obj = nullptr;
+  }
+
+  PythonObject &operator=(PythonObject &&other) {
+    Reset(std::move(other));
+    return *this;
+  }
+
   PyObjectType GetObjectType() const;
 
   PythonString Repr() const;
@@ -174,11 +250,13 @@
 
   PythonObject GetAttributeValue(llvm::StringRef attribute) const;
 
-  bool IsValid() const;
+  bool IsNone() const { return m_py_obj == Py_None; }
+
+  bool IsValid() const { return m_py_obj != nullptr; }
 
-  bool IsAllocated() const;
+  bool IsAllocated() const { return IsValid() && !IsNone(); }
 
-  bool IsNone() const;
+  operator bool() const { return IsValid() && !IsNone(); }
 
   template <typename T> T AsType() const {
     if (!T::Check(m_py_obj))
@@ -188,10 +266,91 @@
 
   StructuredData::ObjectSP CreateStructuredObject() const;
 
+protected:
+  static Error nullDeref() {
+    return llvm::createStringError(llvm::inconvertibleErrorCode(),
+                                   "A NULL PyObject* was dereferenced");
+  }
+  static Error exception(const char *s = nullptr) {
+    return llvm::make_error<PythonException>(s);
+  }
+
+public:
+  template <typename... Args>
+  Expected<PythonObject> CallMethod(const char *name, const char *format,
+                                    Args... args) {
+    if (!m_py_obj)
+      return nullDeref();
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
+    PyObject *obj = PyObject_CallMethod(m_py_obj, const_cast<char *>(name),
+                                        const_cast<char *>(format), args...);
+#else
+    PyObject *obj = PyObject_CallMethod(m_py_obj, name, format, args...);
+#endif
+    if (!obj)
+      return exception();
+    return python::AssertTake<PythonObject>(obj);
+  }
+
+  Expected<PythonObject> GetAttribute(const char *name) const {
+    if (!m_py_obj)
+      return nullDeref();
+    PyObject *obj = PyObject_GetAttrString(m_py_obj, name);
+    if (!obj)
+      return exception();
+    return python::AssertTake<PythonObject>(obj);
+  }
+
+  Expected<bool> IsTrue() {
+    if (!m_py_obj)
+      return nullDeref();
+    int r = PyObject_IsTrue(m_py_obj);
+    if (r < 0)
+      return exception();
+    return !!r;
+  }
+
+  Expected<long long> AsLongLong() {
+    if (!m_py_obj)
+      return nullDeref();
+    assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
+    long long r = PyLong_AsLongLong(m_py_obj);
+    if (PyErr_Occurred())
+      return exception();
+    return r;
+  }
+
+  Expected<bool> IsInstance(PyObject *cls) {
+    if (!m_py_obj || !cls)
+      return nullDeref();
+    int r = PyObject_IsInstance(m_py_obj, cls);
+    if (r < 0)
+      return exception();
+    return !!r;
+  }
+
 protected:
   PyObject *m_py_obj;
 };
 
+namespace python {
+// This is why C++ needs monads.
+Expected<bool> AsBool(Expected<PythonObject> &&obj);
+
+Expected<long long> AsLongLong(Expected<PythonObject> &&obj);
+
+template <typename T> Expected<T> AsType(Expected<PythonObject> &&obj) {
+  if (obj) {
+    if (!T::Check(obj.get()))
+      return llvm::createStringError(llvm::inconvertibleErrorCode(),
+                                     "type error");
+    return T(PyRefType::Borrowed, std::move(obj.get()));
+  } else {
+    return obj.takeError();
+  }
+}
+} // namespace python
+
 class PythonBytes : public PythonObject {
 public:
   PythonBytes();
@@ -245,9 +404,12 @@
 
 class PythonString : public PythonObject {
 public:
+  static Expected<PythonString> FromUTF8(llvm::StringRef string);
+  static Expected<PythonString> FromUTF8(const char *string);
+
   PythonString();
-  explicit PythonString(llvm::StringRef string);
-  explicit PythonString(const char *string);
+  explicit PythonString(llvm::StringRef string); // safe, null on error
+  explicit PythonString(const char *string);     // safe, null on error
   PythonString(PyRefType type, PyObject *o);
 
   ~PythonString() override;
@@ -259,11 +421,13 @@
 
   void Reset(PyRefType type, PyObject *py_obj) override;
 
-  llvm::StringRef GetString() const;
+  llvm::StringRef GetString() const; // safe, empty string on error
+
+  Expected<llvm::StringRef> AsUTF8() const;
 
   size_t GetSize() const;
 
-  void SetString(llvm::StringRef string);
+  void SetString(llvm::StringRef string); // safe, null on error
 
   StructuredData::StringSP CreateStructuredString() const;
 };
@@ -406,7 +570,20 @@
 
   static PythonModule AddModule(llvm::StringRef module);
 
-  static PythonModule ImportModule(llvm::StringRef module);
+  // safe, returns invalid on error;
+  static PythonModule ImportModule(llvm::StringRef name) {
+    std::string s = name;
+    auto mod = Import(s.c_str());
+    if (!mod) {
+      llvm::consumeError(mod.takeError());
+      return PythonModule();
+    }
+    return std::move(mod.get());
+  }
+
+  static llvm::Expected<PythonModule> Import(const char *name);
+
+  llvm::Expected<PythonObject> Get(const char *name);
 
   // Bring in the no-argument base class version
   using PythonObject::Reset;
@@ -467,8 +644,38 @@
   void Reset(File &file, const char *mode);
 
   lldb::FileUP GetUnderlyingFile() const;
+
+  llvm::Expected<lldb::FileSP> ConvertToFile(bool borrowed = false);
+  llvm::Expected<lldb::FileSP>
+  ConvertToFileForcingUseOfScriptingIOMethods(bool borrowed = false);
 };
 
+class PythonException : public llvm::ErrorInfo<PythonException> {
+private:
+  PyObject *m_exception_type, *m_exception, *m_traceback;
+  PyObject *m_repr_bytes;
+
+public:
+  static char ID;
+  const char *toCString() const;
+  PythonException(const char *caller = nullptr);
+  void Restore();
+  ~PythonException();
+  void log(llvm::raw_ostream &OS) const override;
+  std::error_code convertToErrorCode() const override;
+};
+
+template <typename T> T unwrapOrSetPythonException(llvm::Expected<T> expected) {
+  if (expected)
+    return expected.get();
+  llvm::handleAllErrors(
+      expected.takeError(), [](PythonException &E) { E.Restore(); },
+      [](const llvm::ErrorInfoBase &E) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, E.message().c_str());
+      });
+  return T();
+}
+
 } // namespace lldb_private
 
 #endif
diff --git a/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.cpp b/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.cpp
--- a/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.cpp
+++ b/lldb/source/Plugins/ScriptInterpreter/Python/PythonDataObjects.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "lldb/Host/File.h"
 #include "lldb/Host/FileSystem.h"
 #include "lldb/Interpreter/ScriptInterpreter.h"
+#include "lldb/Utility/Log.h"
 #include "lldb/Utility/Stream.h"
 
 #include "llvm/ADT/StringSwitch.h"
@@ -28,6 +29,27 @@
 
 using namespace lldb_private;
 using namespace lldb;
+using namespace lldb_private::python;
+
+namespace lldb_private {
+namespace python {
+// This is why C++ needs monads.
+Expected<bool> AsBool(Expected<PythonObject> &&obj) {
+  if (obj) {
+    return obj.get().IsTrue();
+  } else {
+    return obj.takeError();
+  }
+}
+Expected<long long> AsLongLong(Expected<PythonObject> &&obj) {
+  if (obj) {
+    return obj.get().AsLongLong();
+  } else {
+    return obj.takeError();
+  }
+}
+} // namespace python
+} // namespace lldb_private
 
 void StructuredPythonObject::Serialize(llvm::json::OStream &s) const {
   s.value(llvm::formatv("Python Obj: {0:X}", GetValue()).str());
@@ -167,12 +189,6 @@
                       PyObject_GetAttr(m_py_obj, py_attr.get()));
 }
 
-bool PythonObject::IsNone() const { return m_py_obj == Py_None; }
-
-bool PythonObject::IsValid() const { return m_py_obj != nullptr; }
-
-bool PythonObject::IsAllocated() const { return IsValid() && !IsNone(); }
-
 StructuredData::ObjectSP PythonObject::CreateStructuredObject() const {
   switch (GetObjectType()) {
   case PyObjectType::Dictionary:
@@ -334,6 +350,21 @@
 
 // PythonString
 
+Expected<PythonString> PythonString::FromUTF8(llvm::StringRef string) {
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+  PyObject *str = PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize(string.data(), string.size());
+#else
+  PyObject *str = PyString_FromStringAndSize(string.data(), string.size());
+#endif
+  if (!str)
+    return llvm::make_error<PythonException>();
+  return AssertTake<PythonString>(str);
+}
+
+Expected<PythonString> PythonString::FromUTF8(const char *string) {
+  return FromUTF8(llvm::StringRef(string));
+}
+
 PythonString::PythonString(PyRefType type, PyObject *py_obj) : PythonObject() {
   Reset(type, py_obj); // Use "Reset()" to ensure that py_obj is a string
 }
@@ -376,8 +407,12 @@
   // In Python 2, Don't store PyUnicode objects directly, because we need
   // access to their underlying character buffers which Python 2 doesn't
   // provide.
-  if (PyUnicode_Check(py_obj))
-    result.Reset(PyRefType::Owned, PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(result.get()));
+  if (PyUnicode_Check(py_obj)) {
+    PyObject *s = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(result.get());
+    if (s == NULL)
+      PyErr_Clear();
+    result.Reset(PyRefType::Owned, s);
+  }
 #endif
   // Calling PythonObject::Reset(const PythonObject&) will lead to stack
   // overflow since it calls back into the virtual implementation.
@@ -385,8 +420,17 @@
 }
 
 llvm::StringRef PythonString::GetString() const {
+  auto s = AsUTF8();
+  if (!s) {
+    llvm::consumeError(s.takeError());
+    return llvm::StringRef("");
+  }
+  return s.get();
+}
+
+Expected<llvm::StringRef> PythonString::AsUTF8() const {
   if (!IsValid())
-    return llvm::StringRef();
+    return nullDeref();
 
   Py_ssize_t size;
   const char *data;
@@ -394,10 +438,16 @@
 #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
   data = PyUnicode_AsUTF8AndSize(m_py_obj, &size);
 #else
-  char *c;
-  PyString_AsStringAndSize(m_py_obj, &c, &size);
+  char *c = NULL;
+  int r = PyString_AsStringAndSize(m_py_obj, &c, &size);
+  if (r < 0)
+    c = NULL;
   data = c;
 #endif
+
+  if (!data)
+    return exception();
+
   return llvm::StringRef(data, size);
 }
 
@@ -413,13 +463,13 @@
 }
 
 void PythonString::SetString(llvm::StringRef string) {
-#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
-  PyObject *unicode = PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize(string.data(), string.size());
-  PythonObject::Reset(PyRefType::Owned, unicode);
-#else
-  PyObject *str = PyString_FromStringAndSize(string.data(), string.size());
-  PythonObject::Reset(PyRefType::Owned, str);
-#endif
+  auto s = FromUTF8(string);
+  if (!s) {
+    llvm::consumeError(s.takeError());
+    Reset();
+  } else {
+    PythonObject::Reset(std::move(s.get()));
+  }
 }
 
 StructuredData::StringSP PythonString::CreateStructuredString() const {
@@ -826,9 +876,23 @@
   return PythonModule(PyRefType::Borrowed, PyImport_AddModule(str.c_str()));
 }
 
-PythonModule PythonModule::ImportModule(llvm::StringRef module) {
-  std::string str = module.str();
-  return PythonModule(PyRefType::Owned, PyImport_ImportModule(str.c_str()));
+Expected<PythonModule> PythonModule::Import(const char *name) {
+  PyObject *mod = PyImport_ImportModule(name);
+  if (!mod)
+    return exception();
+  return Take<PythonModule>(mod);
+}
+
+Expected<PythonObject> PythonModule::Get(const char *name) {
+  if (!IsValid())
+    return nullDeref();
+  PyObject *dict = PyModule_GetDict(m_py_obj);
+  if (!dict)
+    return exception();
+  PyObject *item = PyDict_GetItemString(dict, name);
+  if (!item)
+    return exception();
+  return Retain<PythonObject>(item);
 }
 
 bool PythonModule::Check(PyObject *py_obj) {
@@ -1031,4 +1095,60 @@
   return file;
 }
 
+const char *PythonException::toCString() const {
+  if (m_repr_bytes) {
+    return PyBytes_AS_STRING(m_repr_bytes);
+  } else {
+    return "unknown exception";
+  }
+}
+
+PythonException::PythonException(const char *caller) {
+  assert(PyErr_Occurred());
+  m_exception_type = m_exception = m_traceback = m_repr_bytes = NULL;
+  PyErr_Fetch(&m_exception_type, &m_exception, &m_traceback);
+  PyErr_NormalizeException(&m_exception_type, &m_exception, &m_traceback);
+  PyErr_Clear();
+  if (m_exception) {
+    PyObject *repr = PyObject_Repr(m_exception);
+    if (repr) {
+      m_repr_bytes = PyUnicode_AsEncodedString(repr, "utf-8", nullptr);
+      if (!m_repr_bytes) {
+        PyErr_Clear();
+      }
+      Py_XDECREF(repr);
+    } else {
+      PyErr_Clear();
+    }
+  }
+  Log *log = GetLogIfAllCategoriesSet(LIBLLDB_LOG_SCRIPT);
+  if (caller)
+    LLDB_LOGF(log, "%s failed with exception: %s", caller, toCString());
+  else
+    LLDB_LOGF(log, "python exception: %s", toCString());
+}
+void PythonException::Restore() {
+  if (m_exception_type && m_exception) {
+    PyErr_Restore(m_exception_type, m_exception, m_traceback);
+  } else {
+    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_Exception, toCString());
+  }
+  m_exception_type = m_exception = m_traceback = NULL;
+}
+
+PythonException::~PythonException() {
+  Py_XDECREF(m_exception_type);
+  Py_XDECREF(m_exception);
+  Py_XDECREF(m_traceback);
+  Py_XDECREF(m_repr_bytes);
+}
+
+void PythonException::log(llvm::raw_ostream &OS) const { OS << toCString(); }
+
+std::error_code PythonException::convertToErrorCode() const {
+  return llvm::inconvertibleErrorCode();
+}
+
+char PythonException::ID = 0;
+
 #endif