diff --git a/mxq_reaper.c b/mxq_reaper.c
index 19a878d..7bca9e1 100644
--- a/mxq_reaper.c
+++ b/mxq_reaper.c
@@ -73,38 +73,54 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         sleep(wait);
     }
 
-    char *tmpfilename;
-    if (asprintf(&tmpfilename, "%s.tmp", spoolfilename) == -1)
-        die("%m\n");
+    while (1) {
+        // if anything fails, do not write to stderr, as this is the users
+        // stderr, just wait and retry.
+
+        char *tmpfilename;
+        if (asprintf(&tmpfilename, "%s.tmp", spoolfilename) == -1)
+            goto retry_1;
 
-    FILE *out = fopen(tmpfilename,"w");
-    if (out == NULL)
-        die("%s: %m\n", tmpfilename);
-    fprintf(out,"1 %d %d %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld\n",
-        getpid(),
-        user_status,
-        user_time.tv_sec, user_time.tv_usec,
-        user_rusage.ru_utime.tv_sec, user_rusage.ru_utime.tv_usec,
-        user_rusage.ru_stime.tv_sec, user_rusage.ru_stime.tv_usec,
-        user_rusage.ru_maxrss,
-        user_rusage.ru_ixrss,
-        user_rusage.ru_idrss,
-        user_rusage.ru_isrss,
-        user_rusage.ru_minflt,
-        user_rusage.ru_majflt,
-        user_rusage.ru_nswap,
-        user_rusage.ru_inblock,
-        user_rusage.ru_oublock,
-        user_rusage.ru_msgsnd,
-        user_rusage.ru_msgrcv,
-        user_rusage.ru_nsignals,
-        user_rusage.ru_nvcsw,
-        user_rusage.ru_nivcsw
-    );
-    fflush(out);
-    fsync(fileno(out));
-    fclose(out);
-    if (rename(tmpfilename, spoolfilename) == -1)
-        die("%s: %m\n", spoolfilename);
+        FILE *out = fopen(tmpfilename, "w");
+        if (out == NULL)
+            goto retry_2;
+        if (fprintf(out,"1 %d %d %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld %ld\n",
+                getpid(),
+                user_status,
+                user_time.tv_sec, user_time.tv_usec,
+                user_rusage.ru_utime.tv_sec, user_rusage.ru_utime.tv_usec,
+                user_rusage.ru_stime.tv_sec, user_rusage.ru_stime.tv_usec,
+                user_rusage.ru_maxrss,
+                user_rusage.ru_ixrss,
+                user_rusage.ru_idrss,
+                user_rusage.ru_isrss,
+                user_rusage.ru_minflt,
+                user_rusage.ru_majflt,
+                user_rusage.ru_nswap,
+                user_rusage.ru_inblock,
+                user_rusage.ru_oublock,
+                user_rusage.ru_msgsnd,
+                user_rusage.ru_msgrcv,
+                user_rusage.ru_nsignals,
+                user_rusage.ru_nvcsw,
+                user_rusage.ru_nivcsw) < 0)
+            goto retry_3;
+        if (fflush(out) == EOF)
+            goto retry_3;
+        if (fsync(fileno(out)) == -1)
+            goto retry_3;
+        if (fclose(out) == EOF)
+            goto retry_2;
+        if (rename(tmpfilename, spoolfilename) == -1)
+            goto retry_2;
+        break;
+
+retry_3:
+        fclose(out);
+retry_2:
+        free(tmpfilename);
+retry_1:
+        sleep(10);
+    }
     return 0;
 }