diff --git a/linkcheck/dns/inet.py b/linkcheck/dns/inet.py
index 1199f505..bd85d8bb 100644
--- a/linkcheck/dns/inet.py
+++ b/linkcheck/dns/inet.py
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ def af_for_address(text):
     try:
         junk = linkcheck.dns.ipv4.inet_aton(text)
         return AF_INET
-    except:
+    except StandardError:
         try:
             junk = linkcheck.dns.ipv6.inet_aton(text)
             return AF_INET6
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             raise ValueError
 
 def inet_ntop(family, address):
diff --git a/linkcheck/dns/message.py b/linkcheck/dns/message.py
index 5af59cba..9752ae39 100644
--- a/linkcheck/dns/message.py
+++ b/linkcheck/dns/message.py
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ class _TextReader(object):
                 raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
         except linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError:
             raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             rdclass = linkcheck.dns.rdataclass.IN
         # Type
         rdtype = linkcheck.dns.rdatatype.from_text(token[1])
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ class _TextReader(object):
                 raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
         except linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError:
             raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             ttl = 0
         # Class
         try:
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ class _TextReader(object):
                 rdclass = self.zone_rdclass
         except linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError:
             raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             rdclass = linkcheck.dns.rdataclass.IN
         # Type
         rdtype = linkcheck.dns.rdatatype.from_text(token[1])
diff --git a/linkcheck/dns/query.py b/linkcheck/dns/query.py
index 34650a35..dedfc733 100644
--- a/linkcheck/dns/query.py
+++ b/linkcheck/dns/query.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def udp(q, where, timeout=None, port=53, af=None, source=None, source_port=0):
     if af is None:
         try:
             af = linkcheck.dns.inet.af_for_address(where)
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             af = linkcheck.dns.inet.AF_INET
     if af == linkcheck.dns.inet.AF_INET:
         destination = (where, port)
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def tcp(q, where, timeout=None, port=53, af=None, source=None, source_port=0):
     if af is None:
         try:
             af = linkcheck.dns.inet.af_for_address(where)
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             af = linkcheck.dns.inet.AF_INET
     if af == linkcheck.dns.inet.AF_INET:
         destination = (where, port)
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ def xfr(where, zone, rdtype=linkcheck.dns.rdatatype.AXFR, rdclass=linkcheck.dns.
     if af is None:
         try:
             af = linkcheck.dns.inet.af_for_address(where)
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             af = linkcheck.dns.inet.AF_INET
     if af == linkcheck.dns.inet.AF_INET:
         destination = (where, port)
diff --git a/linkcheck/dns/tests/test_name.py b/linkcheck/dns/tests/test_name.py
index 9d14b1e2..6f1eaa29 100644
--- a/linkcheck/dns/tests/test_name.py
+++ b/linkcheck/dns/tests/test_name.py
@@ -76,13 +76,13 @@ class TestName (unittest.TestCase):
         for t in good:
             try:
                 n = linkcheck.dns.name.from_text(t)
-            except:
+            except StandardError:
                 self.fail("good test '%s' raised an exception" % t)
         for t in bad:
             caught = False
             try:
                 n = linkcheck.dns.name.from_text(t)
-            except:
+            except StandardError:
                 caught = True
             if not caught:
                 self.fail("bad test '%s' did not raise an exception" % t)
diff --git a/linkcheck/dns/zone.py b/linkcheck/dns/zone.py
index 9791593b..6ddb610b 100644
--- a/linkcheck/dns/zone.py
+++ b/linkcheck/dns/zone.py
@@ -598,14 +598,14 @@ class _MasterReader(object):
                 raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
         except linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError:
             raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             rdclass = self.zone.rdclass
         if rdclass != self.zone.rdclass:
             raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError, "RR class is not zone's class"
         # Type
         try:
             rdtype = linkcheck.dns.rdatatype.from_text(token[1])
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             raise linkcheck.dns.exception.DNSSyntaxError, \
                   "unknown rdatatype '%s'" % token[1]
         n = self.zone.nodes.get(name)
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ class _MasterReader(object):
             # Catch and reraise.
             (ty, va) = sys.exc_info()[:2]
             raise ty, va
-        except:
+        except StandardError:
             # All exceptions that occur in the processing of rdata
             # are treated as syntax errors.  This is not strictly
             # correct, but it is correct almost all of the time.