diff --git a/beets/mediafile.py b/beets/mediafile.py
index 61f731e8d..427388567 100644
--- a/beets/mediafile.py
+++ b/beets/mediafile.py
@@ -589,7 +589,9 @@ class MediaFile(object):
 
     @property
     def bitrate(self):
-        if self.type == 'flac':
+        if self.type in ('flac', 'ape'):
+            # Simulate bitrate for lossless formats.
+            #fixme: The utility of this guess is questionable.
             return self.mgfile.info.sample_rate * \
                    self.mgfile.info.bits_per_sample
         else:
diff --git a/test/test_mediafile_basic.py b/test/test_mediafile_basic.py
index f89184a6e..39a2cd872 100644
--- a/test/test_mediafile_basic.py
+++ b/test/test_mediafile_basic.py
@@ -207,6 +207,16 @@ read_only_correct_dicts = {
         'length': 1.0,
         'bitrate': 64000,
     },
+    
+    'full.ogg': {
+        'length': 1.0,
+        'bitrate': 48000,
+    },
+    
+    'full.ape': {
+        'length': 1.0,
+        'bitrate': 705600,
+    },
 
 }