Context : The progenitors of supernovae type Ia are usually assumed to be either a single white dwarf accreting from a non-degenerate companion ( the single degenerate channel ) or the result of two merging white dwarfs ( the double degenerate channel ) . However , no consensus currently exists as to which progenitor scenario is the correct one , or whether the observed supernovae Ia rate is produced by a combination of both channels . Unlike a double degenerate progenitor a single degenerate progenitor is expected to emit supersoft X-rays for a prolonged period of time ( \sim 1 Myr ) as a result of the burning of accreted matter on the surface of the white dwarf . An argument against the single degenerate channel as a significant producer of supernovae type Ia has been the lack of observed supersoft X-ray sources and the lower-than-expected integrated soft X-ray flux from elliptical galaxies . Aims : We wish to determine if it is possible to obscure the supersoft X-ray emission from a nuclear burning white dwarf in an accreting single degenerate binary system . In case of obscured systems we wish to determine their general observational characteristics . Methods : We examine the emergent X-ray emission from a canonical supersoft X-ray system surrounded by a spherically symmetric configuration of material , assuming a black body spectrum with T _ { bb } = 50 eV and L = 10 ^ { 38 } \mathrm { erg } \cdot \mathrm { s } ^ { -1 } . The circumbinary material is assumed to be of solar chemical abundances , and we leave the mechanism behind the mass loss into the circumbinary region unspecified . Results : We find that relatively small circumstellar mass loss rates , \dot { M } = 10 ^ { -9 } -10 ^ { -8 } \mathrm { M } _ { \odot } \mathrm { yr } ^ { -1 } , at binary separations of \sim 1 AU or less , will cause significant attenuation of the X-rays from the supersoft X-ray source . Such circumstellar mass loss rates are sufficient to make a canonical supersoft X-ray source in typical external galaxies unobservable in Chandra . Conclusions : If steadily accreting , nuclear burning white dwarfs are canonical supersoft X-ray sources our analysis suggests that they can be obscured by relatively modest circumbinary mass loss rates . This may explain the discrepancy of supersoft sources compared to the supernova Ia rate inferred from observations if the single degenerate progenitor scenario contributes significantly to the supernova Ia rate . Recycled emissions from obscured systems may be visible in other wavebands than X-rays . It may also explain the lack of observed supersoft sources in symbiotic binary systems .