diff --git a/src/gui/viewmanager.py b/src/gui/viewmanager.py
index d4bca14d6..713720584 100644
--- a/src/gui/viewmanager.py
+++ b/src/gui/viewmanager.py
@@ -1574,13 +1574,13 @@ class ViewManager(CLIManager):
             if include.get_active():
                 from ExportPkg import PackageWriter
                 writer = PackageWriter(self.dbstate.db, filename,
-                       msg_callback=lambda m1, m2: ErrorDialog(m1[0], m1[1]),
+                       msg_callback=lambda m1, m2: ErrorDialog(m1, m2),
                        callback=self.pulse_progressbar)
                 writer.export()
             else:
                 from ExportXml import XmlWriter
                 writer = XmlWriter(self.dbstate.db,
-                       msg_callback=lambda m1, m2: ErrorDialog(m1[0], m1[1]),
+                       msg_callback=lambda m1, m2: ErrorDialog(m1, m2),
                        callback=self.pulse_progressbar,
                        strip_photos=0, compress=1)
                 writer.write(filename)
diff --git a/src/plugins/export/ExportPkg.py b/src/plugins/export/ExportPkg.py
index 2b333c222..f410cd522 100644
--- a/src/plugins/export/ExportPkg.py
+++ b/src/plugins/export/ExportPkg.py
@@ -176,7 +176,12 @@ class PackageWriter(object):
             fs_top.destroy()
         #---------------------------------------------------------------
 
-        archive = tarfile.open(self.filename,'w:gz')
+        try:
+            archive = tarfile.open(self.filename,'w:gz')
+        except EnvironmentError, msg:
+            log.warn(str(msg))
+            self.msg_callback(_('Failure writing %s') % self.filename, str(msg))
+            return 0
         
         # Write media files first, since the database may be modified 
         # during the process (i.e. when removing object)