diff -r f6c4c178da56 Lib/aifc.py
--- a/Lib/aifc.py	Sun Nov 11 14:01:23 2012 +0100
+++ b/Lib/aifc.py	Fri Nov 16 14:52:48 2012 +0200
@@ -732,22 +732,28 @@
             self._patchheader()
 
     def close(self):
-        self._ensure_header_written(0)
-        if self._datawritten & 1:
-            # quick pad to even size
-            self._file.write(chr(0))
-            self._datawritten = self._datawritten + 1
-        self._writemarkers()
-        if self._nframeswritten != self._nframes or \
-              self._datalength != self._datawritten or \
-              self._marklength:
-            self._patchheader()
-        if self._comp:
-            self._comp.CloseCompressor()
-            self._comp = None
-        # Prevent ref cycles
-        self._convert = None
-        self._file.close()
+        if self._file is None:
+            return
+        try:
+            self._ensure_header_written(0)
+            if self._datawritten & 1:
+                # quick pad to even size
+                self._file.write(chr(0))
+                self._datawritten = self._datawritten + 1
+            self._writemarkers()
+            if self._nframeswritten != self._nframes or \
+                self._datalength != self._datawritten or \
+                self._marklength:
+                self._patchheader()
+            if self._comp:
+                self._comp.CloseCompressor()
+                self._comp = None
+        finally:
+            # Prevent ref cycles
+            self._convert = None
+            f = self._file
+            self._file = None
+            f.close()
 
     #
     # Internal methods.
diff -r f6c4c178da56 Lib/test/test_aifc.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_aifc.py	Sun Nov 11 14:01:23 2012 +0100
+++ b/Lib/test/test_aifc.py	Fri Nov 16 14:52:48 2012 +0200
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@
         self.assertEqual(f.getcompname(), 'not compressed')
         self.assertEqual(f.getparams(), (2, 2, 48000, 14400, 'NONE', 'not compressed'))
 
+    def test_close(self):
+        fout = aifc.open(TESTFN, 'wb')
+        with self.assertRaises(aifc.Error):
+            fout.close()
+        self.assertIsNone(fout.getfp())
+        fout.close() # do nothing
+
     def test_read(self):
         f = self.f = aifc.open(self.sndfilepath)
         self.assertEqual(f.tell(), 0)