diff --git a/gcc/ChangeLog b/gcc/ChangeLog
index 229aa485e899..45662503f8bc 100644
--- a/gcc/ChangeLog
+++ b/gcc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2009-02-10  Steve Ellcey  <sje@cup.hp.com>
+
+	PR c/39084
+	* c-decl.c (start_struct): Return NULL on error.
+
 2009-02-10  Jakub Jelinek  <jakub@redhat.com>
 
 	PR middle-end/39124
diff --git a/gcc/c-decl.c b/gcc/c-decl.c
index 9fadad385c92..491e7bbbaf51 100644
--- a/gcc/c-decl.c
+++ b/gcc/c-decl.c
@@ -5367,6 +5367,8 @@ start_struct (enum tree_code code, tree name)
 	    error ("redefinition of %<union %E%>", name);
 	  else
 	    error ("redefinition of %<struct %E%>", name);
+	  /* Don't create structures using a name already in use.  */
+	  ref = NULL_TREE;
 	}
       else if (C_TYPE_BEING_DEFINED (ref))
 	{