diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9f8b35ad41..9b36068ac5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2348,9 +2348,17 @@ check: common-cmds.h
 C_SOURCES = $(patsubst %.o,%.c,$(C_OBJ))
 %.cocci.patch: %.cocci $(C_SOURCES)
 	@echo '    ' SPATCH $<; \
+	ret=0; \
 	for f in $(C_SOURCES); do \
-		$(SPATCH) --sp-file $< $$f $(SPATCH_FLAGS); \
-	done >$@ 2>$@.log; \
+		$(SPATCH) --sp-file $< $$f $(SPATCH_FLAGS) || \
+			{ ret=$$?; break; }; \
+	done >$@+ 2>$@.log; \
+	if test $$ret != 0; \
+	then \
+		cat $@.log; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi; \
+	mv $@+ $@; \
 	if test -s $@; \
 	then \
 		echo '    ' SPATCH result: $@; \