diff --git a/apps/s_client.c b/apps/s_client.c
index 23d429622a..105a243b8e 100644
--- a/apps/s_client.c
+++ b/apps/s_client.c
@@ -1146,6 +1146,10 @@ int s_client_main(int argc, char **argv)
             break;
         case OPT_MSGFILE:
             bio_c_msg = BIO_new_file(opt_arg(), "w");
+            if (bio_c_msg == NULL) {
+                BIO_printf(bio_err, "Error writing file %s\n", opt_arg());
+                goto end;
+            }
             break;
         case OPT_TRACE:
 #ifndef OPENSSL_NO_SSL_TRACE
diff --git a/apps/s_server.c b/apps/s_server.c
index 83feddca3e..2036d51795 100644
--- a/apps/s_server.c
+++ b/apps/s_server.c
@@ -1394,6 +1394,10 @@ int s_server_main(int argc, char *argv[])
             break;
         case OPT_MSGFILE:
             bio_s_msg = BIO_new_file(opt_arg(), "w");
+            if (bio_s_msg == NULL) {
+                BIO_printf(bio_err, "Error writing file %s\n", opt_arg());
+                goto end;
+            }
             break;
         case OPT_TRACE:
 #ifndef OPENSSL_NO_SSL_TRACE