diff --git a/Lib/ast.py b/Lib/ast.py
index 720dd48a761b6d..ba0f5f3180ac55 100644
--- a/Lib/ast.py
+++ b/Lib/ast.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def _convert_num(node):
         if isinstance(node, Constant):
             if type(node.value) in (int, float, complex):
                 return node.value
-        raise ValueError('malformed node or string: ' + repr(node))
+        raise ValueError('malformed node or string: ' + dump(node))
     def _convert_signed_num(node):
         if isinstance(node, UnaryOp) and isinstance(node.op, (UAdd, USub)):
             operand = _convert_num(node.operand)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-10-07-18-56-55.bpo-38396.CRjoAy.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-10-07-18-56-55.bpo-38396.CRjoAy.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8c842f2f75d298
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-10-07-18-56-55.bpo-38396.CRjoAy.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+When raising ValueError use dump instead of repr on ast.literal_eval.