diff --git a/src/avrdude/arduino.c b/src/avrdude/arduino.c
index 5a9cb465e8..53e5ed8225 100644
--- a/src/avrdude/arduino.c
+++ b/src/avrdude/arduino.c
@@ -158,8 +158,10 @@ static int arduino_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
     return -1;
   }
 
-  if (stk500_getsync(pgm) < 0)
+  if (stk500_getsync(pgm) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/avrdude/jtagmkII.c b/src/avrdude/jtagmkII.c
index 78c412ce66..d14c4ce743 100644
--- a/src/avrdude/jtagmkII.c
+++ b/src/avrdude/jtagmkII.c
@@ -1527,8 +1527,10 @@ static int jtagmkII_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
    */
   jtagmkII_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_JTAG) < 0)
+  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_JTAG) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -1579,8 +1581,10 @@ static int jtagmkII_open_dw(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
    */
   jtagmkII_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_DEBUGWIRE) < 0)
+  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_DEBUGWIRE) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -1631,8 +1635,10 @@ static int jtagmkII_open_pdi(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
    */
   jtagmkII_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_PDI) < 0)
+  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_PDI) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -1684,8 +1690,10 @@ static int jtagmkII_dragon_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
    */
   jtagmkII_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_JTAG) < 0)
+  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_JTAG) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -1737,8 +1745,10 @@ static int jtagmkII_dragon_open_dw(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
    */
   jtagmkII_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_DEBUGWIRE) < 0)
+  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_DEBUGWIRE) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -1790,8 +1800,10 @@ static int jtagmkII_dragon_open_pdi(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
    */
   jtagmkII_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_PDI) < 0)
+  if (jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, EMULATOR_MODE_PDI) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -3370,6 +3382,8 @@ static int jtagmkII_open32(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
   status = jtagmkII_getsync(pgm, -1);
   if(status < 0) return -1;
 
+  // FIXME: Error handling is bad here: memory leak in resp (?) and port not closed
+
   // AVR32 "special"
   buf[0] = CMND_SET_PARAMETER;
   buf[1] = 0x2D;
diff --git a/src/avrdude/stk500.c b/src/avrdude/stk500.c
index 63deb228fb..efb7078bc9 100644
--- a/src/avrdude/stk500.c
+++ b/src/avrdude/stk500.c
@@ -669,11 +669,15 @@ static int stk500_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
 
   // MIB510 init
   if (strcmp(ldata(lfirst(pgm->id)), "mib510") == 0 &&
-      mib510_isp(pgm, 1) != 0)
+      mib510_isp(pgm, 1) != 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
-  if (stk500_getsync(pgm) < 0)
+  if (stk500_getsync(pgm) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/avrdude/stk500v2.c b/src/avrdude/stk500v2.c
index 691152b460..9bc629ba41 100644
--- a/src/avrdude/stk500v2.c
+++ b/src/avrdude/stk500v2.c
@@ -1695,8 +1695,10 @@ static int stk500v2_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
   stk500v2_drain(pgm, 0);
 
   if (pgm->bitclock != 0.0) {
-    if (pgm->set_sck_period(pgm, pgm->bitclock) != 0)
+    if (pgm->set_sck_period(pgm, pgm->bitclock) != 0) {
+      serial_close(&pgm->fd);
       return -1;
+    }
   }
 
   return 0;
@@ -1753,8 +1755,10 @@ static int stk600_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
   stk500v2_drain(pgm, 0);
 
   if (pgm->bitclock != 0.0) {
-    if (pgm->set_sck_period(pgm, pgm->bitclock) != 0)
+    if (pgm->set_sck_period(pgm, pgm->bitclock) != 0) {
+      serial_close(&pgm->fd);
       return -1;
+    }
   }
 
   return 0;
diff --git a/src/avrdude/wiring.c b/src/avrdude/wiring.c
index 562a3f17cb..85a8532d2e 100644
--- a/src/avrdude/wiring.c
+++ b/src/avrdude/wiring.c
@@ -192,8 +192,10 @@ static int wiring_open(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * port)
   /* drain any extraneous input */
   stk500v2_drain(pgm, 0);
 
-  if (stk500v2_getsync(pgm) < 0)
+  if (stk500v2_getsync(pgm) < 0) {
+    serial_close(&pgm->fd);
     return -1;
+  }
 
   return 0;
 }