diff --git a/Lib/asyncore.py b/Lib/asyncore.py
index c2ec259..fba55e0 100644
--- a/Lib/asyncore.py
+++ b/Lib/asyncore.py
@@ -607,6 +607,14 @@
         def send(self, *args):
             return os.write(self.fd, *args)
 
+        def getsockopt(self, level, optname, buflen=None):
+            if (level == socket.SOL_SOCKET and
+                optname == socket.SO_ERROR and
+                not buflen):
+                return 0
+            raise NotImplementedError("Only asyncore specific behaviour "
+                                      "implemented.")
+
         read = recv
         write = send
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py b/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py
index 5a1b83c..ce0a84f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_asyncore.py
@@ -428,6 +428,19 @@
         w.close()
         self.assertEqual(open(TESTFN, 'rb').read(), self.d + d1 + d2)
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(asyncore, 'file_dispatcher'),
+                         'asyncore.file_dispatcher required')
+    def test_dispatcher(self):
+        fd = os.open(TESTFN, os.O_RDONLY)
+        data = []
+        class FileDispatcher(asyncore.file_dispatcher):
+            def handle_read(self):
+                data.append(self.recv(29))
+        s = FileDispatcher(fd)
+        os.close(fd)
+        asyncore.loop(timeout=0.01, use_poll=True, count=2)
+        self.assertEqual(b"".join(data), self.d)
+
 
 class BaseTestHandler(asyncore.dispatcher):