diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py b/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
index 08f0b3d3338..681ff1eedda 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/configHandler.py
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class IdleUserConfParser(IdleConfParser):
             try:
                 cfgFile = open(fname, 'w')
             except IOError:
-                fname.unlink()
+                os.unlink(fname)
                 cfgFile = open(fname, 'w')
             self.write(cfgFile)
         else: