--- a/tools/rlecat.c
+++ b/tools/rlecat.c
@@ -110,8 +110,14 @@
 	    nflag = 0;		/* Not really repeating! */
 	else
 	{
-	    mktemp( temp );	/* Make a temporary file name */
-	    tmpfile = rle_open_f( cmd_name( argv ), temp, "w+" );
+	    /* we dont have to use rle_open_f() because all it does in
+	     * this case is run fopen() ... we're creating a file so all
+	     * the checks for opening an existing file aren't needed */
+	    int fd = mkstemp(temp);
+	    if (fd == -1 || (tmpfile = fdopen(fd, "w+")) == NULL) {
+		perror("Unable to open tempfile");
+		exit(-1);
+	    }
 	}
     }