diff --git a/Objects/fileobject.c b/Objects/fileobject.c
index 5b2267b..92cfa5b 100644
--- a/Objects/fileobject.c
+++ b/Objects/fileobject.c
@@ -1962,7 +1962,8 @@
 	0,					/* tp_call */
 	0,					/* tp_str */
 	PyObject_GenericGetAttr,		/* tp_getattro */
-	0,					/* tp_setattro */
+	/* softspace is writable:  we must supply tp_setattro */
+	PyObject_GenericSetAttr,		/* tp_setattro */
 	0,					/* tp_as_buffer */
 	Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT | Py_TPFLAGS_BASETYPE, /* tp_flags */
 	file_doc,				/* tp_doc */