python · encukou · Jul 20, 2025 · Jul 19, 2025 · Jul 19, 2025 · Jul 19, 2025
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_traceback.py b/Lib/test/test_traceback.py
@@ -4748,7 +4748,26 @@ class MyList(list):
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             _suggestions._generate_suggestions(MyList(), "")
 
+    def test_no_site_package_flavour(self):
+        code = """import boo"""
+        _, _, stderr = assert_python_failure('-S', '-c', code)
 
+        self.assertIn(
+            (b"Site initialization is disabled, did you forget to "
+                b"add the site-packages directory to sys.path?"), stderr
+        )
+
+        code = """
+            import sys
+            sys.stdlib_module_names = sys.stdlib_module_names + ("boo",)
+            import boo
+        """
+        _, _, stderr = assert_python_failure('-S', '-c', code)
+
+        self.assertNotIn(
+            (b"Site initialization is disabled, did you forget to "
+                b"add the site-packages directory to sys.path?"), stderr
+        )
 
 
 class TestColorizedTraceback(unittest.TestCase):

diff --git a/Lib/traceback.py b/Lib/traceback.py
@@ -1106,6 +1106,11 @@ def __init__(self, exc_type, exc_value, exc_traceback, *, limit=None,
             suggestion = _compute_suggestion_error(exc_value, exc_traceback, wrong_name)
             if suggestion:
                 self._str += f". Did you mean: '{suggestion}'?"
+        elif exc_type and issubclass(exc_type, ModuleNotFoundError) and \
+                sys.flags.no_site and \
+                getattr(exc_value, "name", None) not in sys.stdlib_module_names:
+            self._str += (". Site initialization is disabled, did you forget to "
+                + "add the site-packages directory to sys.path?")
         elif exc_type and issubclass(exc_type, (NameError, AttributeError)) and \
                 getattr(exc_value, "name", None) is not None:
             wrong_name = getattr(exc_value, "name", None)

diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2025-07-19-17-08-09.gh-issue-127598.Mx8S-y.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2025-07-19-17-08-09.gh-issue-127598.Mx8S-y.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Improve :exc:`ModuleNotFoundError` by adding flavour text to the exception when the
+:option:`-S` option is passed. Patch by Andrea Mattei.
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
		Improve :exc:`ModuleNotFoundError` by adding flavour text to the exception when the
		:option:`-S` option is passed. Patch by Andrea Mattei.