diff --git a/servers/vfs/open.c b/servers/vfs/open.c
index 126b77513..4050f89a3 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/open.c
+++ b/servers/vfs/open.c
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ int *created;
 #if 0
 			printf(
 		"vfs:create_open: creating existing file with O_EXCL\n");
-			put_vnode(dir_vp);
 #endif
+			put_vnode(dir_vp);
 			return r;
 		}
 
diff --git a/servers/vfs/vnode.h b/servers/vfs/vnode.h
index b53dd5ae5..dddd98480 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/vnode.h
+++ b/servers/vfs/vnode.h
@@ -39,3 +39,4 @@ EXTERN struct vnode {
 #define ISEEK              1	/* i_seek = ISEEK if last op was SEEK */
 
 
+#define SANITYCHECK do { if(!check_vrefs()) { printf("VFS:%s:%d: vref check failed\n", __FILE__, __LINE__); util_stacktrace(); } } while(0)