diff --git a/python/pyspark/tests.py b/python/pyspark/tests.py
index 511585763cb0..9111dbbed592 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/tests.py
@@ -2293,6 +2293,17 @@ def set(self, x=None, other=None, other_x=None):
         self.assertEqual(b._x, 2)
 
 
+class UtilTests(PySparkTestCase):
+    def test_py4j_exception_message(self):
+        from pyspark.util import _exception_message
+
+        with self.assertRaises(Py4JJavaError) as context:
+            # This attempts java.lang.String(null) which throws an NPE.
+            self.sc._jvm.java.lang.String(None)
+
+        self.assertTrue('NullPointerException' in _exception_message(context.exception))
+
+
 @unittest.skipIf(not _have_scipy, "SciPy not installed")
 class SciPyTests(PySparkTestCase):
 
diff --git a/python/pyspark/util.py b/python/pyspark/util.py
index e5d332ce5442..ad4a0bc68ef4 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/util.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/util.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 #
+from py4j.protocol import Py4JJavaError
 
 __all__ = []
 
@@ -33,6 +34,12 @@ def _exception_message(excp):
     >>> msg == _exception_message(excp)
     True
     """
+    if isinstance(excp, Py4JJavaError):
+        # 'Py4JJavaError' doesn't contain the stack trace available on the Java side in 'message'
+        # attribute in Python 2. We should call 'str' function on this exception in general but
+        # 'Py4JJavaError' has an issue about addressing non-ascii strings. So, here we work
+        # around by the direct call, '__str__()'. Please see SPARK-23517.
+        return excp.__str__()
     if hasattr(excp, "message"):
         return excp.message
     return str(excp)