diff --git a/tqdm/std.py b/tqdm/std.py
index 217e809db..a8b701c82 100644
--- a/tqdm/std.py
+++ b/tqdm/std.py
@@ -1310,7 +1310,7 @@ def update(self, n=1):
 
     def close(self):
         """Cleanup and (if leave=False) close the progressbar."""
-        if self.disable:
+        if self.disable is True:  # could be truthy yet non-True
             return
 
         # Prevent multiple closures
diff --git a/tqdm/tests/tests_tqdm.py b/tqdm/tests/tests_tqdm.py
index 5d344034b..42f01962b 100644
--- a/tqdm/tests/tests_tqdm.py
+++ b/tqdm/tests/tests_tqdm.py
@@ -2010,3 +2010,12 @@ def test_colour():
             pass
         out = our_file2.getvalue()
         assert '\x1b[34m' in out
+
+
+@with_setup(pretest, posttest)
+def test_closed():
+    """Test writing to closed file"""
+    with closing(StringIO()) as our_file:
+        for i in trange(9, file=our_file, miniters=1, mininterval=0):
+            if i == 5:
+                our_file.close()
diff --git a/tqdm/utils.py b/tqdm/utils.py
index 235469c6c..9c0aa2da0 100644
--- a/tqdm/utils.py
+++ b/tqdm/utils.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class DisableOnWriteError(ObjectWrapper):
     @staticmethod
     def disable_on_exception(tqdm_instance, func):
         """
-        Quietly set `tqdm_instance.disable=True` if `func` raises `errno=5`.
+        Quietly set `tqdm_instance.disable=1` if `func` raises `errno=5`.
         """
         def inner(*args, **kwargs):
             try:
@@ -227,7 +227,11 @@ def inner(*args, **kwargs):
             except (IOError, OSError) as e:
                 if e.errno != 5:
                     raise
-                tqdm_instance.disable = True
+                tqdm_instance.disable = 1
+            except ValueError as e:
+                if 'closed' not in str(e):
+                    raise
+                tqdm_instance.disable = 1
         return inner
 
     def __init__(self, wrapped, tqdm_instance):