diff --git a/Lib/email/_compat21.py b/Lib/email/_compat21.py
index 7cead23b937..0e0b3d07652 100644
--- a/Lib/email/_compat21.py
+++ b/Lib/email/_compat21.py
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 from cStringIO import StringIO
 from types import StringType, UnicodeType
 
+False = 0
+True = 1
+
 
 
 # This function will become a method of the Message class