diff --git a/sys/kern/imgact_gzip.c b/sys/kern/imgact_gzip.c
index 0c410f30bac8..09e52f17b265 100644
--- a/sys/kern/imgact_gzip.c
+++ b/sys/kern/imgact_gzip.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * this stuff is worth it, you can buy me a beer in return.   Poul-Henning Kamp
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  *
- * $Id: imgact_gzip.c,v 1.36 1999/01/29 22:59:43 dillon Exp $
+ * $Id: imgact_gzip.c,v 1.37 1999/05/09 16:04:09 peter Exp $
  *
  * This module handles execution of a.out files which have been run through
  * "gzip".  This saves diskspace, but wastes cpu-cycles and VM.
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ struct imgact_gzip {
 	struct image_params *ip;
 	struct exec     a_out;
 	int             error;
+	int		gotheader;
 	int             where;
 	u_char         *inbuf;
 	u_long          offset;
@@ -115,6 +116,13 @@ exec_gzip_imgact(imgp)
 
 	error = inflate(&infl);
 
+	/*
+	 * The unzipped file may not even have been long enough to contain
+	 * a header giving Flush() a chance to return error.  Check for this.
+	 */
+	if ( !igz.gotheader )
+		return ENOEXEC;
+
 	if ( !error ) {
 		vmspace = imgp->proc->p_vmspace;
 		error = vm_map_protect(&vmspace->vm_map,
@@ -329,6 +337,7 @@ Flush(void *vp, u_char * ptr, u_long siz)
 		p += i;
 		siz -= i;
 		if (gz->output == sizeof gz->a_out) {
+			gz->gotheader = 1;
 			i = do_aout_hdr(gz);
 			if (i == -1) {
 				if (!gz->where)