diff --git a/python/pyspark/context.py b/python/pyspark/context.py
index 22f5d92a3bf5ba29b5c4182d738d50b65d3dfce0..a7ca8bc888c6759aff5784d26ad7df015d2fe2f4 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/context.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/context.py
@@ -67,8 +67,17 @@ class SparkContext(object):
         @param batchSize: The number of Python objects represented as a single
                Java object.  Set 1 to disable batching or -1 to use an
                unlimited batch size.
+
+
+        >>> from pyspark.context import SparkContext
+        >>> sc = SparkContext('local', 'test')
+
+        >>> sc2 = SparkContext('local', 'test2') # doctest: +IGNORE_EXCEPTION_DETAIL
+        Traceback (most recent call last):
+            ...
+        ValueError:...
         """
-        SparkContext._ensure_initialized()
+        SparkContext._ensure_initialized(self)
 
         self.master = master
         self.jobName = jobName