diff --git a/cmd/ollie-9p/main.go b/cmd/ollie-9p/main.go
index 696f8c2..40584a1 100644
--- a/cmd/ollie-9p/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ollie-9p/main.go
@@ -193,10 +193,15 @@ func cmdWrite(path string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		fatalf("open %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
-	defer fid.Close()
 	if _, err := io.Copy(fid, os.Stdin); err != nil {
+		fid.Close()
 		fatalf("write %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
+	// Close flushes buffered writes; errors (e.g., validation failures)
+	// are returned via Rclunk.
+	if err := fid.Close(); err != nil {
+		fatalf("close %s: %v", path, err)
+	}
 }
 
 func cmdRdwr(path string) {
@@ -205,24 +210,30 @@ func cmdRdwr(path string) {
 	if err != nil {
 		fatalf("open %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
-	defer fid.Close()
 
 	// Write stdin
 	data, err := io.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
 	if err != nil {
+		fid.Close()
 		fatalf("read stdin: %v", err)
 	}
 	if _, err := fid.Write(data); err != nil {
+		fid.Close()
 		fatalf("write %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
 
 	// Seek back to 0 and read response
 	if _, err := fid.Seek(0, 0); err != nil {
+		fid.Close()
 		fatalf("seek %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
 	if _, err := io.Copy(os.Stdout, fid); err != nil {
+		fid.Close()
 		fatalf("read %s: %v", path, err)
 	}
+	if err := fid.Close(); err != nil {
+		fatalf("close %s: %v", path, err)
+	}
 }
 
 func cmdStat(path string) {