diff --git a/Lib/dumbdbm.py b/Lib/dumbdbm.py
index f0be0613052..e3567338793 100644
--- a/Lib/dumbdbm.py
+++ b/Lib/dumbdbm.py
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def _setval(self, pos, val):
 		f.seek(pos)
 		f.write(val)
 		f.close()
-		return pos, (val)
+		return (pos, len(val))
 	
 	def _addkey(self, key, (pos, siz)):
 		self._index[key] = (pos, siz)