diff --git a/fetch_command.py b/fetch_command.py
index 1be4ac6e18..dec8cb1529 100644
--- a/fetch_command.py
+++ b/fetch_command.py
@@ -349,12 +349,8 @@ def stupid_svn_server_pull_rev(ui, svn, hg_editor, r):
                     f = open(file_path, 'w')
                     f.write(svn.get_file(diff_path+'/'+m, r.revnum))
                     f.close()
-                except core.SubversionException, e:
-                    if (e.message.endswith("' path not found")
-                        or e.message.startswith("File not found: revision")):
-                        pass
-                    else:
-                        raise
+                except IOError:
+                    pass
             d2 = empty_file_patch_wont_make_re.sub('', d)
             d2 = property_exec_set_re.sub('', d2)
             d2 = property_exec_removed_re.sub('', d2)
diff --git a/svnwrap/svn_swig_wrapper.py b/svnwrap/svn_swig_wrapper.py
index 2c900d3539..146c809388 100644
--- a/svnwrap/svn_swig_wrapper.py
+++ b/svnwrap/svn_swig_wrapper.py
@@ -391,17 +391,16 @@ class SubversionRepo(object):
 
     def get_file(self, path, revision):
         out = cStringIO.StringIO()
-        tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp('svnwrap_temp')
         try:
-            # hot tip: the swig bridge doesn't like StringIO for these bad boys
-            out_path = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'diffout')
-            out = open(out_path, 'w')
-            ra.get_file(self.ra, path,revision, out , None)
-            out.close()
-            x = open(out_path).read()
-            return x
-        finally:
-            shutil.rmtree(tmpdir)
+            ra.get_file(self.ra, path, revision, out)
+        except core.SubversionException, e:
+            notfound = (core.SVN_ERR_FS_NOT_FOUND,
+                        core.SVN_ERR_RA_DAV_PATH_NOT_FOUND)
+            if e.apr_err in notfound: # File not found
+                raise IOError()
+            raise
+        data = out.getvalue()
+        return data
 
     def proplist(self, path, revision, recurse=False):
         rev = core.svn_opt_revision_t()