diff --git Objects/fileobject.c Objects/fileobject.c
index f479501..55955d3 100644
--- Objects/fileobject.c
+++ Objects/fileobject.c
@@ -649,8 +649,10 @@ 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;
 }