diff --git a/Source/cmTryCompileCommand.cxx b/Source/cmTryCompileCommand.cxx
index f3fe8937a..d29916281 100644
--- a/Source/cmTryCompileCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmTryCompileCommand.cxx
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ int cmTryCompileCommand::CoreTryCompileCode(
         }
       err << "\nSee PROJECT command for help enabling other languages.";
       cmSystemTools::Error(err.str().c_str());
+      fclose(fout);
       return -1;
       }
     std::string langFlags = "CMAKE_";