--- /tmp/Python-2.6.3/Objects/fileobject.c	2009-01-01 09:46:10.000000000 -0600
+++ Objects/fileobject.c	2009-10-07 15:58:52.562500000 -0500
@@ -554,8 +554,10 @@ static PyObject *
 file_close(PyFileObject *f)
 {
 	PyObject *sts = close_the_file(f);
-	PyMem_Free(f->f_setbuf);
-	f->f_setbuf = NULL;
+        if (sts) {
+                PyMem_Free(f->f_setbuf);
+                f->f_setbuf = NULL;
+        }
 	return sts;
 }