diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index 64d9813a92..940bab5612 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -1947,7 +1947,7 @@ int hash_sha1_file(const void *buf, unsigned long len, const char *type,
 
 int write_sha1_file(void *buf, unsigned long len, const char *type, unsigned char *returnsha1)
 {
-	int size;
+	int size, ret;
 	unsigned char *compressed;
 	z_stream stream;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
@@ -2007,9 +2007,14 @@ int write_sha1_file(void *buf, unsigned long len, const char *type, unsigned cha
 	/* Then the data itself.. */
 	stream.next_in = buf;
 	stream.avail_in = len;
-	while (deflate(&stream, Z_FINISH) == Z_OK)
-		/* nothing */;
-	deflateEnd(&stream);
+	ret = deflate(&stream, Z_FINISH);
+	if (ret != Z_STREAM_END)
+		die("unable to deflate new object %s (%d)", sha1_to_hex(sha1), ret);
+
+	ret = deflateEnd(&stream);
+	if (ret != Z_OK)
+		die("deflateEnd on object %s failed (%d)", sha1_to_hex(sha1), ret);
+
 	size = stream.total_out;
 
 	if (write_buffer(fd, compressed, size) < 0)