diff --git a/src/cut.c b/src/cut.c
index 6e95f0a15..24183986d 100644
--- a/src/cut.c
+++ b/src/cut.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ main (argc, argv)
       exit_status = 1;
     }
   if (ferror (stdout) || fclose (stdout) == EOF)
-    error (1, 0, "write error");
+    error (1, errno, "write error");
 
   exit (exit_status);
 }
diff --git a/src/expand.c b/src/expand.c
index 17d215b43..36d8e05c4 100644
--- a/src/expand.c
+++ b/src/expand.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ main (argc, argv)
   if (have_read_stdin && fclose (stdin) == EOF)
     error (1, errno, "-");
   if (ferror (stdout) || fclose (stdout) == EOF)
-    error (1, 0, "write error");
+    error (1, errno, "write error");
 
   exit (exit_status);
 }
diff --git a/src/join.c b/src/join.c
index c826df824..6aac838a8 100644
--- a/src/join.c
+++ b/src/join.c
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ main (argc, argv)
   if ((fp1 == stdin || fp2 == stdin) && fclose (stdin) == EOF)
     error (1, errno, "-");
   if (ferror (stdout) || fclose (stdout) == EOF)
-    error (1, 0, "write error");
+    error (1, errno, "write error");
 
   exit (0);
 }
diff --git a/src/nl.c b/src/nl.c
index 233a6f26a..d71aa70d5 100644
--- a/src/nl.c
+++ b/src/nl.c
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ main (argc, argv)
       exit_status = 1;
     }
   if (ferror (stdout) || fclose (stdout) == EOF)
-    error (1, 0, "write error");
+    error (1, errno, "write error");
 
   exit (exit_status);
 }
diff --git a/src/sort.c b/src/sort.c
index f4f65782f..483d7ef6e 100644
--- a/src/sort.c
+++ b/src/sort.c
@@ -1727,7 +1727,7 @@ main (argc, argv)
   if (have_read_stdin && fclose (stdin) == EOF)
     error (1, errno, "-");
   if (ferror (stdout) || fclose (stdout) == EOF)
-    error (1, 0, "write error");
+    error (1, errno, "write error");
 
   exit (0);
 }