diff -r aa17a0dab86a Doc/library/imaplib.rst
--- a/Doc/library/imaplib.rst	Sat Feb 16 21:25:40 2013 +0200
+++ b/Doc/library/imaplib.rst	Sun Feb 17 00:09:59 2013 +0200
@@ -37,6 +37,20 @@
    initialized. If *host* is not specified, ``''`` (the local host) is used. If
    *port* is omitted, the standard IMAP4 port (143) is used.
 
+   The :class:`IMAP4` class supports the :keyword:`with` statement.  When used
+   like this, the IMAP4 ``LOGOUT`` command is issued automatically when the
+   :keyword:`with` statement exits.  E.g.::
+
+    >>> from imaplib import IMAP4
+    >>> with IMAP4("domain.org") as M:
+    ...     M.noop()
+    ...
+    ('OK', [b'Nothing Accomplished. d25if65hy903weo.87'])
+    >>>
+
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.4
+      Support for the :keyword:`with` statement was added.
+
 Three exceptions are defined as attributes of the :class:`IMAP4` class:
 
 
diff -r aa17a0dab86a Lib/imaplib.py
--- a/Lib/imaplib.py	Sat Feb 16 21:25:40 2013 +0200
+++ b/Lib/imaplib.py	Sun Feb 17 00:09:59 2013 +0200
@@ -227,6 +227,17 @@
             return getattr(self, attr.lower())
         raise AttributeError("Unknown IMAP4 command: '%s'" % attr)
 
+    def __enter__(self):
+        """Context management protocol.  Returns self."""
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, *args):
+        """Context management protocol.
+        logout() will close properly even if not logged in."""
+        try:
+            self.logout()
+        except OSError:
+            pass
 
 
     #       Overridable methods
diff -r aa17a0dab86a Lib/test/test_imaplib.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py	Sat Feb 16 21:25:40 2013 +0200
+++ b/Lib/test/test_imaplib.py	Sun Feb 17 00:09:59 2013 +0200
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import socketserver
 import time
 import calendar
+import sys
 
 from test.support import reap_threads, verbose, transient_internet, run_with_tz, run_with_locale
 import unittest
@@ -95,6 +96,10 @@
 
     timeout = 1
 
+    def setup(self):
+        super().setup()
+        self.server.logged = None
+
     def _send(self, message):
         if verbose: print("SENT: %r" % message.strip())
         self.wfile.write(message)
@@ -135,6 +140,14 @@
         self._send(b'* CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1\r\n')
         self._send('{} OK CAPABILITY completed\r\n'.format(tag).encode('ASCII'))
 
+    def cmd_LOGOUT(self, tag, args):
+        self.server.logged = None
+        self._send('{} OK LOGOUT\r\n'.format(tag).encode('ASCII'))
+
+    def cmd_LOGIN(self, tag, args):
+        self.server.logged = args[0]
+        self._send('{} OK LOGIN\r\n'.format(tag).encode('ASCII'))
+
 
 class BaseThreadedNetworkedTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -214,6 +227,32 @@
             self.assertRaises(imaplib.IMAP4.abort,
                               self.imap_class, *server.server_address)
 
+    @reap_threads
+    def test_simple_with_statement(self):
+        # simplest call
+        with self.reaped_server(SimpleIMAPHandler) as server:
+            with self.imap_class(*server.server_address) as imap:
+                pass
+
+    @reap_threads
+    def test_with_statement(self):
+        # doing something
+        with self.reaped_server(SimpleIMAPHandler) as server:
+            with self.imap_class(*server.server_address) as imap:
+                imap.login('user', 'pass')
+                self.assertEqual(server.logged, b'user')
+            self.assertIsNone(server.logged)
+
+    @reap_threads
+    def test_with_statement_logout(self):
+        # what happens if already logout in the block ?
+        with self.reaped_server(SimpleIMAPHandler) as server:
+            with self.imap_class(*server.server_address) as imap:
+                imap.login('user', 'pass')
+                self.assertEqual(server.logged, b'user')
+                imap.logout()
+                self.assertIsNone(server.logged)
+            self.assertIsNone(server.logged)
 
 
 class ThreadedNetworkedTests(BaseThreadedNetworkedTests):