diff --git a/py/runtime.c b/py/runtime.c
index bbd12895af..58c6620085 100644
--- a/py/runtime.c
+++ b/py/runtime.c
@@ -462,6 +462,11 @@ void rt_store_name(qstr qstr, mp_obj_t obj) {
     mp_map_lookup(map_locals, MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(qstr), MP_MAP_LOOKUP_ADD_IF_NOT_FOUND)->value = obj;
 }
 
+void rt_delete_name(qstr qstr) {
+    DEBUG_OP_printf("delete name %s\n", qstr_str(qstr));
+    mp_map_lookup(map_locals, MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(qstr), MP_MAP_LOOKUP_REMOVE_IF_FOUND);
+}
+
 void rt_store_global(qstr qstr, mp_obj_t obj) {
     DEBUG_OP_printf("store global %s <- %p\n", qstr_str(qstr), obj);
     mp_map_lookup(map_globals, MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(qstr), MP_MAP_LOOKUP_ADD_IF_NOT_FOUND)->value = obj;
diff --git a/py/runtime.h b/py/runtime.h
index 7215cc8890..3980e50cc0 100644
--- a/py/runtime.h
+++ b/py/runtime.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ mp_obj_t rt_get_cell(mp_obj_t cell);
 void rt_set_cell(mp_obj_t cell, mp_obj_t val);
 void rt_store_name(qstr qstr, mp_obj_t obj);
 void rt_store_global(qstr qstr, mp_obj_t obj);
+void rt_delete_name(qstr qstr);
 mp_obj_t rt_unary_op(int op, mp_obj_t arg);
 mp_obj_t rt_binary_op(int op, mp_obj_t lhs, mp_obj_t rhs);
 mp_obj_t rt_make_function_from_id(int unique_code_id, mp_obj_t def_args);
diff --git a/py/vm.c b/py/vm.c
index 48c4bdf04b..22243c403e 100644
--- a/py/vm.c
+++ b/py/vm.c
@@ -283,6 +283,11 @@ dispatch_loop:
                         sp -= 3;
                         break;
 
+                    case MP_BC_DELETE_NAME:
+                        DECODE_QSTR;
+                        rt_delete_name(qst);
+                        break;
+
                     case MP_BC_DUP_TOP:
                         obj1 = TOP();
                         PUSH(obj1);
diff --git a/tests/basics/try-as-var.py b/tests/basics/try-as-var.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0a92f1caee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/basics/try-as-var.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+try:
+    raise ValueError(534)
+except ValueError as e:
+    print(repr(e))
+
+# Var bound in except block is automatically deleted
+try:
+    e
+except NameError:
+    print("NameError")