Index: freebsd_head/lib/libc/gen/popen.c
===================================================================
--- freebsd_head/lib/libc/gen/popen.c
+++ freebsd_head/lib/libc/gen/popen.c
@@ -145,12 +145,20 @@
 	}
 	THREAD_UNLOCK();
 
-	/* Parent; assume fdopen can't fail. */
+	/* Parent; adding check for fdopen failure. */
 	if (*type == 'r') {
 		iop = fdopen(pdes[0], type);
+		if (iop == NULL) { /* fdopen failed */
+			perror("fdopen(pdes[0] type) FAILED\n");
+			abort();
+		}
 		(void)_close(pdes[1]);
 	} else {
 		iop = fdopen(pdes[1], type);
+		if (iop == NULL) { /* fdopen failed */
+			perror("fdopen(pdes[1] type) FAILED\n");
+			abort();
+		}
 		(void)_close(pdes[0]);
 	}