diff --git a/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py b/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py
index cb11b3f30..486654931 100644
--- a/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py
+++ b/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py
@@ -160,17 +160,17 @@ class XmlWriter(UpdateCallback):
                 return 0
         
         self.fileroot = os.path.dirname(filename)
-#        try:
-        if self.compress:
-            try:
-                g = gzip.open(filename,"wb")
-            except:
+        try:
+            if self.compress:
+                try:
+                    g = gzip.open(filename,"wb")
+                except:
+                    g = open(filename,"w")
+            else:
                 g = open(filename,"w")
-        else:
-            g = open(filename,"w")
-#        except IOError,msg:
-#            ErrorDialog(_('Failure writing %s') % filename,msg)
-#            return 0
+        except IOError,msg:
+            ErrorDialog(_('Failure writing %s') % filename,msg)
+            return 0
 
         self.g = codecs.getwriter("utf8")(g)