diff --git a/Lib/socket.py b/Lib/socket.py
index 08605f8..eff47d2 100644
--- a/Lib/socket.py
+++ b/Lib/socket.py
@@ -204,9 +204,10 @@
 
     __slots__ = ["mode", "bufsize", "softspace",
                  # "closed" is a property, see below
-                 "_sock", "_rbufsize", "_wbufsize", "_rbuf", "_wbuf"]
+                 "_sock", "_rbufsize", "_wbufsize", "_rbuf", "_wbuf",
+                 "_close"]
 
-    def __init__(self, sock, mode='rb', bufsize=-1):
+    def __init__(self, sock, mode='rb', bufsize=-1, close=False):
         self._sock = sock
         self.mode = mode # Not actually used in this version
         if bufsize < 0:
@@ -222,6 +223,7 @@
         self._wbufsize = bufsize
         self._rbuf = "" # A string
         self._wbuf = [] # A list of strings
+        self._close = close
 
     def _getclosed(self):
         return self._sock is None
@@ -232,6 +234,8 @@
             if self._sock:
                 self.flush()
         finally:
+            if self._close:
+                self._sock.close()
             self._sock = None
 
     def __del__(self):