diff --git a/tools/python/xen/lowlevel/checkpoint/checkpoint.c b/tools/python/xen/lowlevel/checkpoint/checkpoint.c
index 7545d7deb6..1581b64095 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/lowlevel/checkpoint/checkpoint.c
+++ b/tools/python/xen/lowlevel/checkpoint/checkpoint.c
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ static PyObject* pycheckpoint_close(PyObject* obj, PyObject* args)
 {
   CheckpointObject* self = (CheckpointObject*)obj;
 
+  if (checkpoint_resume(&self->cps) < 0)
+    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", checkpoint_error(&self->cps));
+
   checkpoint_close(&self->cps);
 
   Py_XDECREF(self->suspend_cb);
diff --git a/tools/python/xen/remus/save.py b/tools/python/xen/remus/save.py
index 71517da8c1..9858aec571 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/remus/save.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/remus/save.py
@@ -158,9 +158,13 @@ class Saver(object):
             self.checkpointer.open(self.vm.domid)
             self.checkpointer.start(self.fd, self.suspendcb, self.resumecb,
                                     self.checkpointcb, self.interval)
-            self.checkpointer.close()
         except xen.lowlevel.checkpoint.error, e:
             raise CheckpointError(e)
+        finally:
+            try: #errors in checkpoint close are not critical atm.
+                self.checkpointer.close()
+            except:
+                pass
 
     def _resume(self):
         """low-overhead version of XendDomainInfo.resumeDomain"""