diff --git a/appl/kx/common.c b/appl/kx/common.c
index 32b0584d5..6122d04da 100644
--- a/appl/kx/common.c
+++ b/appl/kx/common.c
@@ -264,11 +264,13 @@ create_and_write_cookie (char *xauthfile,
      auth.data = (char*)cookie;
      des_rand_data (cookie, sz);
 
-     strncpy(xauthfile, "/tmp/AXXXXX", size);
+     strncpy(xauthfile, "/tmp/AXXXXXX", size);
      xauthfile[size-1] = 0;
      fd = mkstemp(xauthfile);
-     if(fd < 0)
-	 return 1;
+     if(fd < 0) {
+	 syslog(LOG_ERR, "create_and_write_cookie: mkstemp: %m");
+         return 1;
+     }
      f = fdopen(fd, "r+");
      if(f == NULL){
 	 close(fd);
diff --git a/appl/kx/kxd.c b/appl/kx/kxd.c
index 205972763..6bfcb2156 100644
--- a/appl/kx/kxd.c
+++ b/appl/kx/kxd.c
@@ -365,8 +365,14 @@ doit(int sock, int tcpp)
 	  else
 	       snprintf (display, display_size, ":%u", display_num);
 	  if(create_and_write_cookie (xauthfile, xauthfile_size, 
-				      cookie, cookie_len))
-	      return 1;
+				      cookie, cookie_len)) {
+             syslog(LOG_ERR, "create_and_write_cookie: %m");
+             fatal (sock, &key, schedule, &me, &him,
+                    "Cookie-creation failed with: %s",
+		    strerror(errno));
+             cleanup();
+	     return 1;
+	  }
 
 	  p = msg;
 	  *p++ = ACK;
@@ -382,6 +388,7 @@ doit(int sock, int tcpp)
 	  if(write_encrypted (sock, msg, p - msg, schedule, &key,
 			      &me, &him) < 0) {
 	      syslog (LOG_ERR, "write: %m");
+	      cleanup();
 	      return 1;
 	  }
 	  for (;;) {