diff -r 82ae284cd5f1 Lib/socket.py
--- a/Lib/socket.py	Mon Sep 03 17:29:22 2012 -0400
+++ b/Lib/socket.py	Wed Sep 05 18:56:04 2012 +0100
@@ -324,12 +324,16 @@
     def readable(self):
         """True if the SocketIO is open for reading.
         """
-        return self._reading and not self.closed
+        if self.closed:
+            raise ValueError("I/O operation on closed socket.")
+        return self._reading
 
     def writable(self):
         """True if the SocketIO is open for writing.
         """
-        return self._writing and not self.closed
+        if self.closed:
+            raise ValueError("I/O operation on closed socket.")
+        return self._writing
 
     def fileno(self):
         """Return the file descriptor of the underlying socket.
diff -r 82ae284cd5f1 Lib/test/test_socket.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_socket.py	Mon Sep 03 17:29:22 2012 -0400
+++ b/Lib/test/test_socket.py	Wed Sep 05 18:56:04 2012 +0100
@@ -1245,6 +1245,15 @@
             fp.close()
             self.assertEqual(repr(fp), "<_io.BufferedReader name=-1>")
 
+    def test_unusable_closed_socketio(self):
+        with socket.socket() as sock:
+            fp = sock.makefile("rb")
+            self.assertTrue(fp.readable())
+            self.assertFalse(fp.writable())
+            fp.close()
+            self.assertRaises(ValueError, fp.readable)
+            self.assertRaises(ValueError, fp.writable)
+
     def test_pickle(self):
         sock = socket.socket()
         with sock: