diff -r 30530f6c24bb Lib/sndhdr.py
--- a/Lib/sndhdr.py	Mon Mar 18 10:10:08 2013 -0700
+++ b/Lib/sndhdr.py	Mon Mar 18 14:02:26 2013 -0400
@@ -137,14 +137,17 @@
 
 
 def test_wav(h, f):
-    # 'RIFF' <len> 'WAVE' 'fmt ' <len>
-    if not h.startswith(b'RIFF') or h[8:12] != b'WAVE' or h[12:16] != b'fmt ':
-        return None
-    style = get_short_le(h[20:22])
-    nchannels = get_short_le(h[22:24])
-    rate = get_long_le(h[24:28])
-    sample_bits = get_short_le(h[34:36])
-    return 'wav', rate, nchannels, -1, sample_bits
+     import wave
+     # 'RIFF' <len> 'WAVE' 'fmt ' <len>
+     if not h.startswith(b'RIFF') or h[8:12] != b'WAVE' or h[12:16] != b'fmt ':
+         return None
+     f.seek(0)
+     try:
+         w = wave.openfp(f, 'r')
+     except (EOFError, wave.Error):
+         return None
+     return ('wav', w.getframerate(), w.getnchannels(),
+                    w.getnframes(), 8*w.getsampwidth())
 
 tests.append(test_wav)
 
diff -r 30530f6c24bb Lib/test/test_sndhdr.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_sndhdr.py	Mon Mar 18 10:10:08 2013 -0700
+++ b/Lib/test/test_sndhdr.py	Mon Mar 18 14:02:26 2013 -0400
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
             ('sndhdr.hcom', ('hcom', 22050.0, 1, -1, 8)),
             ('sndhdr.sndt', ('sndt', 44100, 1, 5, 8)),
             ('sndhdr.voc', ('voc', 0, 1, -1, 8)),
-            ('sndhdr.wav', ('wav', 44100, 2, -1, 16)),
+            ('sndhdr.wav', ('wav', 44100, 2, 5, 16)),
         ):
             filename = findfile(filename, subdir="sndhdrdata")
             what = sndhdr.what(filename)