diff --git a/programs/x509/cert_req.c b/programs/x509/cert_req.c
index c738b4a..f56cae8 100644
--- a/programs/x509/cert_req.c
+++ b/programs/x509/cert_req.c
@@ -89,9 +89,12 @@
         return( -1 );
 
     if( fwrite( output_buf, 1, len, f ) != len )
+    {
+        fclose( f );
         return( -1 );
+    }
 
-    fclose(f);
+    fclose( f );
 
     return( 0 );
 }