diff -r 2cf89e2e6247 Lib/imaplib.py
--- a/Lib/imaplib.py	Sun Jan 27 06:20:51 2013 +0200
+++ b/Lib/imaplib.py	Sun Jan 27 12:49:07 2013 +0200
@@ -227,7 +227,14 @@
             return getattr(self, attr.lower())
         raise AttributeError("Unknown IMAP4 command: '%s'" % attr)
 
+    def __enter__(self):
+        """Context management protocol.  Returns self."""
+        return self
 
+    def __exit__(self, *args):
+        """Context management protocol.
+        logout() will close properly even if not logged in."""
+        self.logout()
 
     #       Overridable methods
 
diff -r 2cf89e2e6247 Lib/test/test_imaplib.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py	Sun Jan 27 06:20:51 2013 +0200
+++ b/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py	Sun Jan 27 12:49:07 2013 +0200
@@ -135,6 +135,12 @@
         self._send(b'* CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1\r\n')
         self._send('{} OK CAPABILITY completed\r\n'.format(tag).encode('ASCII'))
 
+    def cmd_LOGOUT(self, tag, args):
+        self._send('{} OK LOGOUT\r\n'.format(tag).encode('ASCII'))
+
+    def cmd_LOGIN(self, tag, args):
+        self._send('{} OK LOGIN\r\n'.format(tag).encode('ASCII'))
+
 
 class BaseThreadedNetworkedTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -214,6 +220,27 @@
             self.assertRaises(imaplib.IMAP4.abort,
                               self.imap_class, *server.server_address)
 
+    @reap_threads
+    def test_simple_with_statement(self):
+        # simplest call
+        with self.reaped_server(SimpleIMAPHandler) as server:
+            with self.imap_class(*server.server_address) as imap:
+                pass
+
+    @reap_threads
+    def test_with_statement(self):
+        # doing something
+        with self.reaped_server(SimpleIMAPHandler) as server:
+            with self.imap_class(*server.server_address) as imap:
+                imap.login('user', 'pass')
+
+    @reap_threads
+    def test_with_statement_quit(self):
+        # what happens if already quit in the block ?
+        with self.reaped_server(SimpleIMAPHandler) as server:
+            with self.imap_class(*server.server_address) as imap:
+                imap.login('user', 'pass')
+                imap.logout()
 
 
 class ThreadedNetworkedTests(BaseThreadedNetworkedTests):