diff --git a/src/c/file.d b/src/c/file.d
index ebbddf920..d13d4ea3e 100755
--- a/src/c/file.d
+++ b/src/c/file.d
@@ -2571,6 +2571,7 @@ safe_close(int f)
 	ecl_disable_interrupts_env(the_env);
 	output = close(f);
 	ecl_enable_interrupts_env(the_env);
+	return output;
 }
 
 static FILE *