Index: Lib/socket.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/socket.py	(revision 54542)
+++ Lib/socket.py	(working copy)
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@
     send = recv = recv_into = sendto = recvfrom = recvfrom_into = _dummy
     __getattr__ = _dummy
 
+# Wrapper around platform socket objects. This implements
+# a platform-independent dup() functionality. The 
+# implementation currently relies on reference counting
+# to close the underlying socket object.
 class _socketobject(object):
 
     __doc__ = _realsocket.__doc__
Index: Lib/httplib.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/httplib.py	(revision 54542)
+++ Lib/httplib.py	(working copy)
@@ -1133,6 +1133,9 @@
     def __getattr__(self, attr):
         return getattr(self._sock, attr)
 
+    def close(self):
+        SharedSocketClient.close(self)
+        self._ssl = None
 
 class HTTPSConnection(HTTPConnection):
     "This class allows communication via SSL."
Index: Lib/test/test_socket_ssl.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_socket_ssl.py	(revision 54542)
+++ Lib/test/test_socket_ssl.py	(working copy)
@@ -118,12 +118,32 @@
     connector()
     t.join()
 
+def test_978833():
+    if test_support.verbose:
+        print "test_978833 ..."
+
+    import os, httplib
+    with test_support.transient_internet():
+        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET)
+        s.connect(("www.sf.net", 443))
+        fd = s._sock.fileno()
+        sock = httplib.FakeSocket(s, socket.ssl(s))
+        s = None
+        sock.close()
+        try:
+            os.fstat(fd)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        else:
+            raise test_support.TestFailed("Failed to close socket")
+
 def test_main():
     if not hasattr(socket, "ssl"):
         raise test_support.TestSkipped("socket module has no ssl support")
     test_rude_shutdown()
     test_basic()
     test_timeout()
+    test_978833()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     test_main()