  ROSAT/HRI observations of the powerful radio-loud galaxy 3C382 reveal
extended X-ray emission associated with the source. On the basis of this new
spatial component, a previous ROSAT/PSPC spectral analysis of the source is
revised. Allowing for the presence of an additional thermal component in the
PSPC spectrum, the non-thermal component is found to be compatible with the
extrapolation of the well defined 3C382 - 2-10 keV - power-law spectrum into
the soft X-rays. The thermal -extended- component would then account for the
soft excess emission previously reported for this source. The origin of this
thermal component is not clear. Its luminosity compares with that of rich Abell
clusters; yet, the galaxy environment in 3C382 appears of moderate optical
richness. An alternative is that it is due to a massive extended gaseous
atmosphere sustained by the deep gravitational potential well of 3C382.
