diff --git a/usr.sbin/pmcstudy/pmcstudy.c b/usr.sbin/pmcstudy/pmcstudy.c
index a99d59a8cb33..a7ec3719a0b4 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pmcstudy/pmcstudy.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pmcstudy/pmcstudy.c
@@ -1796,6 +1796,10 @@ process_file(char *filename)
 
 	if (filename ==  NULL) {
 		io = my_popen(command, "r", &pid_of_command);
+		if (io == NULL) {
+			printf("Can't popen the command %s\n", command);
+			return;
+		}
 	} else {
 		io = fopen(filename, "r");
 		if (io == NULL) {
@@ -1808,8 +1812,10 @@ process_file(char *filename)
 	if (cnts == NULL) {
 		/* Nothing we can do */
 		printf("Nothing to do -- no counters built\n");
-		if (io) {
-			fclose(io);
+		if (filename) {
+			fclose(io); 
+		} else {
+			my_pclose(io, pid_of_command);
 		}
 		return;
 	}