diff --git a/Lib/UserString.py b/Lib/UserString.py
index 8209820..8bd2c42 100755
--- a/Lib/UserString.py
+++ b/Lib/UserString.py
@@ -52,20 +52,9 @@
             return self.__class__(other + self.data)
         else:
             return self.__class__(str(other) + self.data)
-    def __iadd__(self, other):
-        if isinstance(other, UserString):
-            self.data += other.data
-        elif isinstance(other, StringTypes):
-            self.data += other
-        else:
-            self.data += str(other)
-        return self
     def __mul__(self, n):
         return self.__class__(self.data*n)
     __rmul__ = __mul__
-    def __imul__(self, n):
-        self.data *= n
-        return self
 
     # the following methods are defined in alphabetical order:
     def capitalize(self): return self.__class__(self.data.capitalize())
@@ -168,6 +157,17 @@
         self.data = self.data[:start] + self.data[end:]
     def immutable(self):
         return UserString(self.data)
+    def __iadd__(self, other):
+        if isinstance(other, UserString):
+            self.data += other.data
+        elif isinstance(other, StringTypes):
+            self.data += other
+        else:
+            self.data += str(other)
+        return self
+    def __imul__(self, n):
+        self.data *= n
+        return self
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # execute the regression test to stdout, if called as a script:
diff --git a/Lib/test/string_tests.py b/Lib/test/string_tests.py
index 1729999..a071f20 100644
--- a/Lib/test/string_tests.py
+++ b/Lib/test/string_tests.py
@@ -314,3 +314,9 @@
     test('__contains__', 'asdf', True, 'asdf') # vereq('asdf' in 'asdf', True)
     test('__contains__', 'asd', False, 'asdf') # vereq('asdf' in 'asd', False)
     test('__contains__', '', False, 'asdf')    # vereq('asdf' in '', False)
+
+def run_inplace_tests(constructor):
+    # Verify clearing of SF bug #592573
+    s = t = constructor('abc')
+    s += constructor('def')
+    verify(s != t, 'in-place concatenate should create a new object')
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_string.py b/Lib/test/test_string.py
index c92f5f7..a30cdbd 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_string.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_string.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 string_tests.run_module_tests(test)
 string_tests.run_method_tests(test)
 string_tests.run_contains_tests(test)
+string_tests.run_inplace_tests(str)
 
 string.whitespace
 string.lowercase
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_userstring.py b/Lib/test/test_userstring.py
index 5492f2e..67fbb5c 100755
--- a/Lib/test/test_userstring.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_userstring.py
@@ -42,3 +42,4 @@
 
 string_tests.run_method_tests(test)
 string_tests.run_contains_tests(test)
+string_tests.run_inplace_tests(UserString)