diff --git a/sbin/fsck_ffs/main.c b/sbin/fsck_ffs/main.c
--- a/sbin/fsck_ffs/main.c
+++ b/sbin/fsck_ffs/main.c
@@ -295,15 +295,14 @@
 		 */
 		if ((fsreadfd = open(filesys, O_RDONLY)) < 0 || readsb(0) == 0)
 			exit(3);	/* Cannot read superblock */
-		if (nflag || (fswritefd = open(filesys, O_WRONLY)) < 0) {
+		if (bkgrdflag == 0 &&
+		    (nflag || (fswritefd = open(filesys, O_WRONLY)) < 0)) {
 			fswritefd = -1;
 			if (preen)
 				pfatal("NO WRITE ACCESS");
 			printf(" (NO WRITE)");
 		}
 		if ((sblock.fs_flags & FS_GJOURNAL) != 0) {
-			//printf("GJournaled file system detected on %s.\n",
-			//    filesys);
 			if (sblock.fs_clean == 1) {
 				pwarn("FILE SYSTEM CLEAN; SKIPPING CHECKS\n");
 				exit(0);
@@ -317,10 +316,10 @@
 			} else {
 				pfatal(
 			    "UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY, CANNOT RUN FAST FSCK\n");
-				close(fsreadfd);
-				close(fswritefd);
 			}
 		}
+		close(fsreadfd);
+		close(fswritefd);
 	}
 	/*
 	 * If we are to do a background check: