diff --git a/django/core/management/base.py b/django/core/management/base.py
index e8f461e354..23ff7d6194 100644
--- a/django/core/management/base.py
+++ b/django/core/management/base.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ be executed through ``django-admin.py`` or ``manage.py``).
 import os
 import sys
 from optparse import make_option, OptionParser
+import traceback
 
 import django
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
@@ -197,8 +198,9 @@ class BaseCommand(object):
         ``self.requires_model_validation``). If the command raises a
         ``CommandError``, intercept it and print it sensibly to
         stderr.
-
         """
+        show_traceback = options.get('traceback', False)
+
         # Switch to English, because django-admin.py creates database content
         # like permissions, and those shouldn't contain any translations.
         # But only do this if we can assume we have a working settings file,
@@ -212,8 +214,12 @@ class BaseCommand(object):
             except ImportError, e:
                 # If settings should be available, but aren't,
                 # raise the error and quit.
-                sys.stderr.write(smart_str(self.style.ERROR('Error: %s\n' % e)))
+                if show_traceback:
+                    traceback.print_exc()
+                else:
+                    sys.stderr.write(smart_str(self.style.ERROR('Error: %s\n' % e)))
                 sys.exit(1)
+
         try:
             self.stdout = options.get('stdout', sys.stdout)
             self.stderr = options.get('stderr', sys.stderr)
@@ -232,7 +238,10 @@ class BaseCommand(object):
                 if self.output_transaction:
                     self.stdout.write('\n' + self.style.SQL_KEYWORD("COMMIT;") + '\n')
         except CommandError, e:
-            self.stderr.write(smart_str(self.style.ERROR('Error: %s\n' % e)))
+            if show_traceback:
+                traceback.print_exc()
+            else:
+                self.stderr.write(smart_str(self.style.ERROR('Error: %s\n' % e)))
             sys.exit(1)
         if saved_lang is not None:
             translation.activate(saved_lang)
diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py b/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
index bd867796c2..d96421f73c 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/loaddata.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import os
 import gzip
 import zipfile
 from optparse import make_option
+import traceback
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core import serializers
@@ -211,7 +212,6 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
                             except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
                                 raise
                             except Exception:
-                                import traceback
                                 fixture.close()
                                 if commit:
                                     transaction.rollback(using=using)
diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py b/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py
index a9d803a8e4..852fa15410 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/syncdb.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from optparse import make_option
 import sys
+import traceback
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.management.base import NoArgsCommand
@@ -129,7 +130,6 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
                             sys.stderr.write("Failed to install custom SQL for %s.%s model: %s\n" % \
                                                 (app_name, model._meta.object_name, e))
                             if show_traceback:
-                                import traceback
                                 traceback.print_exc()
                             transaction.rollback_unless_managed(using=db)
                         else: