diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index cfe6dff0..08e4a950 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2008-03-08  Nicolas François  <nicolas.francois@centraliens.net>
+
+	* NEWS, src/groupdel.c: Make sure the group, and gshadow files are
+	unlocked on exit. Add function fail_exit(). Use fail_exit()
+	instead of exit().
+	* src/groupdel.c: Fail immediately instead of increasing errors.
+	Better handling of error cases, like locked group or gshadow file.
+
 2008-03-08  Nicolas François  <nicolas.francois@centraliens.net>
 
 	* NEWS, src/newusers.c: Make sure the passwd, group, shadow, and
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8db30d8e..56d5fcb1 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ shadow-4.1.0 -> shadow-4.1.1						UNRELEASED
 - groupdel
   * Do not fail if the group does not exist in the gshadow file.
   * Do not rewrite the group or gshadow file in case of error.
+  * Make sure the group and gshadow files are unlocked on exit.
 - groupmems
   * Fix buffer overflow when adding an user to a group. Thanks to Peter Vrabec.
 - groupmod
diff --git a/src/groupdel.c b/src/groupdel.c
index f67063e5..00b952a2 100644
--- a/src/groupdel.c
+++ b/src/groupdel.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ static int is_shadow_grp;
 
 /* local function prototypes */
 static void usage (void);
+static void fail_exit (int);
 static void grp_update (void);
 static void close_files (void);
 static void open_files (void);
@@ -84,6 +85,26 @@ static void usage (void)
 	exit (E_USAGE);
 }
 
+/*
+ * fail_exit - exit with a failure code after unlocking the files
+ */
+static void fail_exit (int code)
+{
+	(void) gr_unlock ();
+#ifdef	SHADOWGRP
+	if (is_shadow_grp) {
+		sgr_unlock ();
+	}
+#endif
+
+#ifdef	WITH_AUDIT
+	audit_logger (AUDIT_USER_CHAUTHTOK, Prog, "deleting group",
+	              group_name, -1, 0);
+#endif
+
+	exit (code);
+}
+
 /*
  * grp_update - update group file entries
  *
@@ -93,7 +114,7 @@ static void grp_update (void)
 {
 	if (!gr_remove (group_name)) {
 		fprintf (stderr, _("%s: error removing group entry\n"), Prog);
-		errors++;
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 #ifdef	SHADOWGRP
 	/*
@@ -104,7 +125,7 @@ static void grp_update (void)
 			fprintf (stderr,
 			         _("%s: error removing shadow group entry\n"),
 			         Prog);
-			errors++;
+			fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 		}
 	}
 #endif				/* SHADOWGRP */
@@ -127,14 +148,14 @@ static void close_files (void)
 
 	if (!gr_close ()) {
 		fprintf (stderr, _("%s: cannot rewrite group file\n"), Prog);
-		errors++;
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 	gr_unlock ();
 #ifdef	SHADOWGRP
 	if (is_shadow_grp && !sgr_close ()) {
 		fprintf (stderr,
 			 _("%s: cannot rewrite shadow group file\n"), Prog);
-		errors++;
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 	if (is_shadow_grp)
 		sgr_unlock ();
@@ -150,22 +171,22 @@ static void open_files (void)
 {
 	if (!gr_lock ()) {
 		fprintf (stderr, _("%s: unable to lock group file\n"), Prog);
-		exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 	if (!gr_open (O_RDWR)) {
 		fprintf (stderr, _("%s: unable to open group file\n"), Prog);
-		exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 #ifdef	SHADOWGRP
 	if (is_shadow_grp && !sgr_lock ()) {
 		fprintf (stderr,
 			 _("%s: unable to lock shadow group file\n"), Prog);
-		exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 	if (is_shadow_grp && !sgr_open (O_RDWR)) {
 		fprintf (stderr,
 			 _("%s: unable to open shadow group file\n"), Prog);
-		exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
+		fail_exit (E_GRP_UPDATE);
 	}
 #endif				/* SHADOWGRP */
 }
@@ -202,7 +223,7 @@ static void group_busy (gid_t gid)
 	 * Can't remove the group.
 	 */
 	fprintf (stderr, _("%s: cannot remove user's primary group.\n"), Prog);
-	exit (E_GROUP_BUSY);
+	fail_exit (E_GROUP_BUSY);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -340,21 +361,16 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 	open_files ();
 
 	grp_update ();
-	if (errors == 0) {
-		close_files ();
-		nscd_flush_cache ("group");
-	}
+
+	close_files ();
+
+	nscd_flush_cache ("group");
 
 #ifdef USE_PAM
 	if (retval == PAM_SUCCESS)
 		pam_end (pamh, PAM_SUCCESS);
 #endif				/* USE_PAM */
-	if (errors != 0)
-#ifdef WITH_AUDIT
-		audit_logger (AUDIT_USER_CHAUTHTOK, Prog, "deleting group",
-			      group_name, -1, 0);
-#endif
-	exit (errors == 0 ? E_SUCCESS : E_GRP_UPDATE);
-	/* NOT REACHED */
-	return 0;
+
+	return E_SUCCESS;
 }
+