diff --git a/captcha-old.py b/captcha-old.py
index 34b71d8a1..db0f143db 100644
--- a/captcha-old.py
+++ b/captcha-old.py
@@ -40,12 +40,13 @@ try:
     from PIL import ImageDraw
     from PIL import ImageEnhance
     from PIL import ImageOps
-except:
+except ImportError:
     sys.exit(
         "This script requires the Python Imaging Library - http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/"
     )
 
-nonalpha = re.compile("[^a-z]")  # regex to test for suitability of words
+# regex to test for suitability of words
+nonalpha = re.compile("[^a-z]")
 
 # Pillow 9.2 added getbbox to replace getsize, and getsize() was removed in Pillow 10
 # https://pillow.readthedocs.io/en/stable/releasenotes/10.0.0.html#font-size-and-offset-methods
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ def wobbly_copy(src, wob, col, scale, ang):
     rot = src.rotate(rr, Image.BILINEAR)
     # Do a cheap bounding-box op here to try to limit work below
     bbx = rot.getbbox()
-    if bbx == None:
+    if bbx is None:
         return src
     else:
         l, t, r, b = bbx
diff --git a/captcha.py b/captcha.py
index 12a09af9b..c263e802b 100644
--- a/captcha.py
+++ b/captcha.py
@@ -40,15 +40,19 @@ try:
     from PIL import ImageDraw
     from PIL import ImageEnhance
     from PIL import ImageOps
-except:
+except ImportError:
     sys.exit(
         "This script requires the Python Imaging Library - http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/"
     )
 
-nonalpha = re.compile("[^a-z]")  # regex to test for suitability of words
+# regex to test for suitability of words
+nonalpha = re.compile("[^a-z]")
+
+# when il beside each other, hard to read
 confusedletters = re.compile(
     "[ijtlr][ijtl]|r[nompqr]|[il]"
-)  # when il beside each other, hard to read.
+)
+
 # Pillow 9.2 added getbbox to replace getsize, and getsize() was removed in Pillow 10
 # https://pillow.readthedocs.io/en/stable/releasenotes/10.0.0.html#font-size-and-offset-methods
 # We don't have a requirements.txt, and therefore don't declare any specific supported or min version...
@@ -65,7 +69,7 @@ def wobbly_copy(src, wob, col, scale, ang):
     rot = src.rotate(rr, Image.BILINEAR)
     # Do a cheap bounding-box op here to try to limit work below
     bbx = rot.getbbox()
-    if bbx == None:
+    if bbx is None:
         return src
     else:
         l, t, r, b = bbx
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 5c445426f..d7bdab596 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@ basepython = python3
 [flake8]
 exclude = .tox
 max_line_length = 80
-; E128 continuation line under-indented for visual indent
 ; E501 line too long (X > 80 characters)
-; E711 comparison to None should be 'if cond is None:'
-; E722 do not use bare 'except'
+; Deprecated best practice - https://www.flake8rules.com/rules/W503.html
 ; W503 line break before binary operator
-ignore = E128,E501,E711,E722,W503
+ignore = E501,W503