diff --git a/Lib/pdb.py b/Lib/pdb.py
index dd7ceb8927d..42e605e682a 100755
--- a/Lib/pdb.py
+++ b/Lib/pdb.py
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ class Pdb(bdb.Bdb, cmd.Cmd):
             # now set the break point
             err = self.set_break(filename, line, temporary, cond, funcname)
             if err:
-                self.error(err, file=self.stdout)
+                self.error(err)
             else:
                 bp = self.get_breaks(filename, line)[-1]
                 self.message("Breakpoint %d at %s:%d" %
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index cfc03880658..ecdb1789840 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ Core and Builtins
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #19076: Don't pass the redundant 'file' argument to self.error().
+
 - Issue #21942: Fixed source file viewing in pydoc's server mode on Windows.
 
 - Issue #11259: asynchat.async_chat().set_terminator() now raises a ValueError