diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 5e9ec202..769182f1 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -387,12 +387,13 @@ FILE *
 settings_open_for_write(const char *name)
 {
   FILE *fp;
-
   int fd;
 
-  if((fd = open(name, O_CREAT | O_TRUNC | O_RDWR, 0600)) < 0)
+  if((fd = open(name, O_CREAT | O_TRUNC | O_RDWR, 0600)) < 0) {
     syslog(LOG_ALERT, "Unable to open settings file \"%s\" -- %s",
 	   name, strerror(errno));
+    return NULL;
+  }
 
   if((fp = fdopen(fd, "w+")) == NULL)
     syslog(LOG_ALERT, "Unable to open settings file \"%s\" -- %s",