diff --git a/IPython/core/ultratb.py b/IPython/core/ultratb.py
index 93af88e..72a46fd 100644
--- a/IPython/core/ultratb.py
+++ b/IPython/core/ultratb.py
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     try:
         print spam(1, (2, 3))
     except:
-        apply(handler, sys.exc_info() )
+        handler(*sys.exc_info())
     print ''
 
     handler = VerboseTB()
@@ -1239,6 +1239,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     try:
         print spam(1, (2, 3))
     except:
-        apply(handler, sys.exc_info() )
+        handler(*sys.exc_info())
     print ''