diff --git a/server/red-record-qxl.cpp b/server/red-record-qxl.cpp
index ef2de7a5..20e0a583 100644
--- a/server/red-record-qxl.cpp
+++ b/server/red-record-qxl.cpp
@@ -874,6 +874,7 @@ RedRecord *red_record_new(const char *filename)
     }
 
     if (fwrite(header, sizeof(header)-1, 1, f) != 1) {
+        fclose(f);
         spice_error("failed to write replay header");
     }