--- Lib/pydoc.py	(revision 63658)
+++ Lib/pydoc.py	(working copy)
@@ -1891,7 +1891,7 @@
 # --------------------------------------------------- web browser interface
 
 def serve(port, callback=None, completer=None):
-    import BaseHTTPServer, mimetools, select
+    import BaseHTTPServer, mimetools, select, socket
 
     # Patch up mimetools.Message so it doesn't break if rfc822 is reloaded.
     class Message(mimetools.Message):
@@ -1950,6 +1950,8 @@
         def log_message(self, *args): pass
 
     class DocServer(BaseHTTPServer.HTTPServer):
+        address_family = socket.has_ipv6 and socket.AF_INET6 or BaseHTTPServer.HTTPServer.address_family
+
         def __init__(self, port, callback):
             host = (sys.platform == 'mac') and '127.0.0.1' or 'localhost'
             self.address = ('', port)