diff --git a/usr.bin/ctags/ctags.c b/usr.bin/ctags/ctags.c
--- a/usr.bin/ctags/ctags.c
+++ b/usr.bin/ctags/ctags.c
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if (ferror(stdout) != 0 || fflush(stdout) != 0)
+		err(1, "stdout");
 	exit(exit_val);
 }