diff --git a/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py b/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
index bda4480ca59..d26fe94b7ef 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/command/build_scripts.py
@@ -111,7 +111,8 @@ class build_scripts (Command):
                 if f:
                     f.close()
             else:
-                f.close()
+                if f:
+                    f.close()
                 self.copy_file(script, outfile)
 
         if os.name == 'posix':