Index: Lib/test/test_smtpnet.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_smtpnet.py	(revision 0)
+++ Lib/test/test_smtpnet.py	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+import unittest
+from test import support
+import smtplib
+
+class SmtpSSLTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    testServer = 'smtp.gmail.com'
+    remotePort = 465
+
+    def test_connect(self):
+        server = smtplib.SMTP_SSL(self.testServer, self.remotePort)
+        server.ehlo()
+        server.quit()
+
+def test_main():
+    support.requires("network")
+    support.run_unittest(SmtpSSLTest)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    test_main()
Index: Lib/smtplib.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/smtplib.py	(revision 71995)
+++ Lib/smtplib.py	(working copy)
@@ -757,9 +757,10 @@
 
         def _get_socket(self, host, port, timeout):
             if self.debuglevel > 0: print('connect:', (host, port), file=stderr)
-            self.sock = socket.create_connection((host, port), timeout)
-            self.sock = ssl.wrap_socket(self.sock, self.keyfile, self.certfile)
-            self.file = SSLFakeFile(self.sock)
+            new_socket = socket.create_connection((host, port), timeout)
+            new_socket = ssl.wrap_socket(new_socket, self.keyfile, self.certfile)
+            self.file = SSLFakeFile(new_socket)
+            return new_socket
 
     __all__.append("SMTP_SSL")