diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendCheckpoint.py b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendCheckpoint.py
index 9d4b51d7a0..144cd134ef 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendCheckpoint.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendCheckpoint.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def forkHelper(cmd, fd, inputHandler, closeToChild):
             if fd == child.childerr.fileno():
                 lasterr = child.childerr.readline().rstrip()
                 log.error('%s', lasterr)
-            else
+            else:
                 l = child.fromchild.readline().rstrip()
                 while l:
                     log.debug('%s', l)