diff --git a/utils/smsq.c b/utils/smsq.c
index d24845a54c..fa71d76391 100644
--- a/utils/smsq.c
+++ b/utils/smsq.c
@@ -399,7 +399,9 @@ static void rxqcheck (char *dir, char *queue, char *process)
             setenv ("ud16", tmp, 1);
          }
          /* run the command */
-         system (process);
+         if (system (process) == -1) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Failed to fork process '%s'\n", process);
+         }
       }
    closedir (d);
 }