diff --git a/usr.bin/colcrt/colcrt.c b/usr.bin/colcrt/colcrt.c
index 9ddab2836fb..2ba4f39bbda 100644
--- a/usr.bin/colcrt/colcrt.c
+++ b/usr.bin/colcrt/colcrt.c
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ cont:
 				continue;
 			}
 		}
+		if (ferror(stdin))
+			err(1, NULL);
 	} while (argc > 0);
 	fflush(stdout);
 	exit(0);