diff --git a/Lib/python/std_map.i b/Lib/python/std_map.i
index 9e5f50512..b4951f846 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_map.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_map.i
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
   }
 }
 
-%define %swig_map_methods(Map...)
+%define %swig_map_common(Map...)
   %swig_sequence_iterator(Map);
   %swig_container_methods(Map)
 
@@ -145,10 +145,6 @@
 	throw std::out_of_range("key not found");
     }
     
-    void __setitem__(const key_type& key, const mapped_type& x) throw (std::out_of_range) {
-      self->insert(Map::value_type(key,x));
-    }
-    
     void __delitem__(const key_type& key) throw (std::out_of_range) {
       Map::iterator i = self->find(key);
       if (i != self->end())
@@ -238,5 +234,14 @@
   }
 %enddef
 
+%define %swig_map_methods(Map...)
+  %swig_map_common(Map)
+  %extend {
+    void __setitem__(const key_type& key, const mapped_type& x) throw (std::out_of_range) {
+      (*self)[key] = x;
+    }
+  }
+%enddef
+
 
 %include <std/std_map.i>
diff --git a/Lib/python/std_multimap.i b/Lib/python/std_multimap.i
index 1b159dc3c..5a6facb58 100644
--- a/Lib/python/std_multimap.i
+++ b/Lib/python/std_multimap.i
@@ -66,7 +66,14 @@
   }
 }
 
-#define %swig_multimap_methods(Type...) %swig_map_methods(Type)
+%define %swig_multimap_methods(Type...) 
+  %swig_map_common(Type);
+  %extend {
+    void __setitem__(const key_type& key, const mapped_type& x) throw (std::out_of_range) {
+      self->insert(Type::value_type(key,x));
+    }
+  }
+%enddef
 
 %include <std/std_multimap.i>