diff --git a/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_receive.py b/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_receive.py
index b2fb894..d1b2ca2 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_receive.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_receive.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import os, sys, json, binascii, six, tempfile, zipfile
 from tqdm import tqdm
 from twisted.internet import reactor, defer
 from twisted.internet.defer import inlineCallbacks, returnValue
-from ..twisted.transcribe import Wormhole, WrongPasswordError
+from ..twisted.transcribe import Wormhole
 from ..twisted.transit import TransitReceiver
 from ..errors import TransferError
 
@@ -113,10 +113,8 @@ class TwistedReceiver:
 
     @inlineCallbacks
     def get_data(self, w):
-        try:
-            them_bytes = yield w.get_data()
-        except WrongPasswordError as e:
-            raise TransferError(u"ERROR: " + e.explain())
+        # this may raise WrongPasswordError
+        them_bytes = yield w.get_data()
         them_d = json.loads(them_bytes.decode("utf-8"))
         if "error" in them_d:
             raise TransferError(u"ERROR: " + them_d["error"])
diff --git a/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_send.py b/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_send.py
index 652a370..29740cd 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_send.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/cli/cmd_send.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from twisted.protocols import basic
 from twisted.internet import reactor
 from twisted.internet.defer import inlineCallbacks, returnValue
 from ..errors import TransferError
-from ..twisted.transcribe import Wormhole, WrongPasswordError
+from ..twisted.transcribe import Wormhole
 from ..twisted.transit import TransitSender
 
 APPID = u"lothar.com/wormhole/text-or-file-xfer"
@@ -87,10 +87,8 @@ def send(args, reactor=reactor):
     my_phase1_bytes = json.dumps(phase1).encode("utf-8")
     yield w.send_data(my_phase1_bytes)
 
-    try:
-        them_phase1_bytes = yield w.get_data()
-    except WrongPasswordError as e:
-        raise TransferError(e.explain())
+    # this may raise WrongPasswordError
+    them_phase1_bytes = yield w.get_data()
 
     them_phase1 = json.loads(them_phase1_bytes.decode("utf-8"))
 
diff --git a/src/wormhole/errors.py b/src/wormhole/errors.py
index 2846626..898bafd 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/errors.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/errors.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import functools, textwrap
+import functools
 
 class ServerError(Exception):
     def __init__(self, message, relay):
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ class WrongPasswordError(Exception):
     chance.
     """
     # or the data blob was corrupted, and that's why decrypt failed
-    def explain(self):
-        return textwrap.dedent(self.__doc__)
 
 class ReflectionAttack(Exception):
     """An attacker (or bug) reflected our outgoing message back to us."""