# Put in const.py...: class _const: class ConstError(TypeError): pass def __setattr__(self,name,value): if self.__dict__.has_key(name): raise self.ConstError, "Can't rebind const(%s)"%name self.__dict__[name]=value import sys sys.modules[__name__]=_const() # that's all -- now any client-code can import const # and bind an attribute ONCE: const.magic = 23 # but NOT re-bind it: const.magic = 88 # raises const.ConstError # you may also want to add the obvious __delattr__