diff --git a/Lib/dbhash.py b/Lib/dbhash.py
index 57c6194b6c9..f440fd52974 100644
--- a/Lib/dbhash.py
+++ b/Lib/dbhash.py
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@
 
 error = bsddb.error
 
-def open(file, flag, mode):
+def open(file, flag, mode=0666):
     return bsddb.hashopen(file, flag, mode)