diff --git a/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py b/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
index 7fc1181f25a264..18dfd19420bff2 100644
--- a/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/ctypes/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@
 from struct import calcsize as _calcsize
 
 if __version__ != _ctypes_version:
-    raise Exception("Version number mismatch", __version__, _ctypes_version)
+    raise SystemError(
+        f"ctypes version mismatch: Python={__version__}, _ctypes={_ctypes_version}"
+    )
 
 if _os.name == "nt":
     from _ctypes import FormatError