--- a/hggit/git_handler.py
+++ b/hggit/git_handler.py
@@ -133,15 +133,17 @@
     def init_author_file(self):
         self.author_map = {}
         if self.ui.config('git', 'authors'):
-            with open(self.repo.wjoin(
-                self.ui.config('git', 'authors')
-            )) as f:
+            f = open(self.repo.wjoin(
+                self.ui.config('git', 'authors')))
+            try:
                 for line in f:
                     line = line.strip()
                     if not line or line.startswith('#'):
                         continue
                     from_, to = RE_AUTHOR_FILE.split(line, 2)
                     self.author_map[from_] = to
+            finally:
+                f.close()
 
     ## FILE LOAD AND SAVE METHODS