diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 837d018e3..19d9ea220 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -45,6 +45,22 @@ AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
 AC_GNU_SOURCE
 
+# Test if we have a new enough compiler.
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[
+#define GCC_VERSION \
+	(__GNUC__ * 10000 + __GNUC_MINOR__ * 100 + __GNUC_PATCHLEVEL__)
+
+#define CLANG_VERSION \
+	(__clang_major__ * 10000 + __clang_minor__ * 100 + __clang_patchlevel__)
+
+#if GCC_VERSION < 40600 && CLANG_VERSION < 10000
+#error Sorry, your compiler is too old - please upgrade it
+#endif
+	]])], [valid_compiler=yes], [valid_compiler=no])
+if test "x$valid_compiler" = "xno"; then
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([Sorry, your compiler is too old - please upgrade it])
+fi
+
 # libtool
 LT_INIT
 AC_SUBST([LIBTOOL_DEPS])
diff --git a/src/lxc/start.c b/src/lxc/start.c
index 967d23c1b..6b66e4fb5 100644
--- a/src/lxc/start.c
+++ b/src/lxc/start.c
@@ -1651,28 +1651,21 @@ static int lxc_spawn(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 
 	ret = socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0,
 			 handler->data_sock);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		lxc_sync_fini(handler);
-		return -1;
-	}
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out_sync_fini;
 
 	ret = resolve_clone_flags(handler);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		lxc_sync_fini(handler);
-		return -1;
-	}
+	if (ret < 0)
+		goto out_sync_fini;
 
 	if (conf->shmount.path_host) {
-		if (!conf->shmount.path_cont) {
-			lxc_sync_fini(handler);
-			return -1;
-		}
+		if (!conf->shmount.path_cont)
+			goto out_sync_fini;
 
 		ret = lxc_setup_shmount(conf);
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			ERROR("Failed to setup shared mount point");
-			lxc_sync_fini(handler);
-			return -1;
+			goto out_sync_fini;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1687,8 +1680,7 @@ static int lxc_spawn(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 			ret = lxc_find_gateway_addresses(handler);
 			if (ret < 0) {
 				ERROR("Failed to find gateway addresses");
-				lxc_sync_fini(handler);
-				return -1;
+				goto out_sync_fini;
 			}
 
 			/* That should be done before the clone because we will
@@ -1963,6 +1955,8 @@ out_delete_net:
 
 out_abort:
 	lxc_abort(name, handler);
+
+out_sync_fini:
 	lxc_sync_fini(handler);
 	if (handler->pinfd >= 0) {
 		close(handler->pinfd);