diff --git a/src/warc.c b/src/warc.c
index 3482cf3b..5ebd04d7 100644
--- a/src/warc.c
+++ b/src/warc.c
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ warc_write_start_record (void)
   /* Start a GZIP stream, if required. */
   if (opt.warc_compression_enabled)
     {
+      int dup_fd;
       /* Record the starting offset of the new record. */
       warc_current_gzfile_offset = ftello (warc_current_file);
 
@@ -214,13 +215,23 @@ warc_write_start_record (void)
       fflush (warc_current_file);
 
       /* Start a new GZIP stream. */
-      warc_current_gzfile = gzdopen (dup (fileno (warc_current_file)), "wb9");
+      dup_fd = dup (fileno (warc_current_file));
+      if (dup_fd < 0)
+        {
+          logprintf (LOG_NOTQUIET,
+_("Error duplicating WARC file file descriptor.\n"));
+          warc_write_ok = false;
+          return false;
+        }
+
+      warc_current_gzfile = gzdopen (dup_fd, "wb9");
       warc_current_gzfile_uncompressed_size = 0;
 
       if (warc_current_gzfile == NULL)
         {
           logprintf (LOG_NOTQUIET,
 _("Error opening GZIP stream to WARC file.\n"));
+          close (dup_fd);
           warc_write_ok = false;
           return false;
         }