--- beep.c.orig	2008-12-19 16:16:20.000000000 -0800
+++ beep.c.orig	2008-12-19 16:15:51.000000000 -0800
@@ -220,25 +220,28 @@ 
   /* try to snag the console */
   if((console_fd = open("/dev/console", O_WRONLY)) == -1) {
     fprintf(stderr, "Could not open /dev/console for writing.\n");
-    printf("\a");  /* Output the only beep we can, in an effort to fall back on usefulness */
     perror("open");
-    exit(1);
   }
   
   /* Beep */
   for (i = 0; i < parms.reps; i++) {                    /* start beep */
-    if(ioctl(console_fd, KIOCSOUND, (int)(CLOCK_TICK_RATE/parms.freq)) < 0) {
-      printf("\a");  /* Output the only beep we can, in an effort to fall back on usefulness */
-      perror("ioctl");
-    }
+    if (console_fd >= 0)
+      if(ioctl(console_fd, KIOCSOUND, (int)(CLOCK_TICK_RATE/parms.freq)) < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "\a");  /* Output the only beep we can, in an effort to fall back on usefulness */
+        perror("ioctl");
+      }
+    else
+      fprintf(stderr, "\a");  /* Output the only beep we can, in an effort to fall back on usefulness */
     /* Look ma, I'm not ansi C compatible! */
     usleep(1000*parms.length);                          /* wait...    */
-    ioctl(console_fd, KIOCSOUND, 0);                    /* stop beep  */
+    if (console_fd >= 0)
+      ioctl(console_fd, KIOCSOUND, 0);                  /* stop beep  */
     if(parms.end_delay || (i+1 < parms.reps))
        usleep(1000*parms.delay);                        /* wait...    */
   }                                                     /* repeat.    */
 
-  close(console_fd);
+  if (console_fd >= 0)
+    close(console_fd);
 }