diff --git a/lib/cookie.c b/lib/cookie.c
index 4a33845ab7a027a5b72bc63b9a57800581a6ba60..e64bc49e9c619016f60b9919ced87f980f14150b 100644
--- a/lib/cookie.c
+++ b/lib/cookie.c
@@ -972,6 +972,7 @@ int Curl_cookie_output(struct CookieInfo *c, char *dumphere)
       format_ptr = get_netscape_format(co);
       if (format_ptr == NULL) {
         fprintf(out, "#\n# Fatal libcurl error\n");
+        fclose(out);
         return 1;
       }
       fprintf(out, "%s\n", format_ptr);