diff --git a/Doc/library/pdb.rst b/Doc/library/pdb.rst
index 6a401a1af7eba38..98eebf6466c0332 100644
--- a/Doc/library/pdb.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/pdb.rst
@@ -806,6 +806,9 @@ can be overridden by the local file.
 .. pdbcommand:: retval
 
    Print the return value for the last return of the current function.
+   This command must be used immediately after the return line is executed;
+   the *return* command can be used to jump to the location where *retval*
+   can be used.
 
 .. pdbcommand:: exceptions [excnumber]
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2021-09-16-22-38-58.bpo-20853.J3kJay.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2021-09-16-22-38-58.bpo-20853.J3kJay.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000000..8fd6ee6ba1bf8b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2021-09-16-22-38-58.bpo-20853.J3kJay.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+In :mod:`pdb`, *args* and *retval* commands were fixed to properly handle
+objects for which :func:`repr` raises an exception.