diff --git a/erlang/apps/as/src/scan_state.erl b/erlang/apps/as/src/scan_state.erl
index 64e77a6..4814984 100644
--- a/erlang/apps/as/src/scan_state.erl
+++ b/erlang/apps/as/src/scan_state.erl
@@ -76,7 +76,10 @@ stdin() ->
   do_fopen(stdin).
 
 do_fopen(File) ->
-  gen_server:start(?MODULE, File, []).
+  case gen_server:start(?MODULE, File, []) of
+    {error, {shutdown, Reason}} -> {error, Reason};
+    Result -> Result
+  end.
 
 -spec ungetc(byte(), scan_state()) -> ok | {error, {module(), term()}}.
 ungetc(Ch, Pid) ->
@@ -108,7 +111,9 @@ init(stdin) ->
 init(File) ->
   case file:open(File, [raw, read, read_ahead]) of
     {ok, IoDev} -> do_init(File, IoDev);
-    {error, Reason} -> {stop, {file, Reason}}
+    {error, Reason} ->
+      %% The {shutdown, ...} wrapper prevents an unwanted crash report.
+      {stop, {shutdown, {file, Reason}}}
   end.
 
 do_init(FileName, IoDev) ->
diff --git a/erlang/apps/lib/src/pdp10_stdio.erl b/erlang/apps/lib/src/pdp10_stdio.erl
index 99619ee..01798be 100644
--- a/erlang/apps/lib/src/pdp10_stdio.erl
+++ b/erlang/apps/lib/src/pdp10_stdio.erl
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ fopen(Path, Modes) ->
 do_open(What) ->
   case gen_server:start(?MODULE, What, []) of
     {ok, Pid} -> {ok, #file{pid = Pid}};
+    {error, {shutdown, Reason}} -> {error, Reason};
     {error, _Reason} = Error -> Error
   end.
 
@@ -190,8 +191,8 @@ do_init({ok, {IoDev, Read, Write}}) ->
              , iodir = seek
              }};
 do_init({error, Reason}) ->
-  %% FIXME: this still seems to generate crash reports
-  {stop, Reason}.
+  %% The {shutdown, ...} wrapper prevents an unwanted crash report.
+  {stop, {shutdown, Reason}}.
 
 handle_call(Req, _From, State) ->
   case Req of