diff --git a/src/storm/storage/dd/sylvan/InternalSylvanBdd.cpp b/src/storm/storage/dd/sylvan/InternalSylvanBdd.cpp
index e646e473d..978a05e1d 100644
--- a/src/storm/storage/dd/sylvan/InternalSylvanBdd.cpp
+++ b/src/storm/storage/dd/sylvan/InternalSylvanBdd.cpp
@@ -234,14 +234,24 @@ namespace storm {
 
         void InternalBdd<DdType::Sylvan>::exportToDot(std::string const& filename, std::vector<std::string> const&, bool) const {
             FILE* filePointer = fopen(filename.c_str() , "a+");
-            this->sylvanBdd.PrintDot(filePointer);
-            fclose(filePointer);
+            // fopen returns a nullptr on failure
+            if (filePointer == nullptr) {
+                STORM_LOG_ERROR("Failure to open file: " << filename);
+            } else {
+                    this->sylvanBdd.PrintDot(filePointer);
+                    fclose(filePointer);
+            }
         }
 
         void InternalBdd<DdType::Sylvan>::exportToText(std::string const& filename) const {
             FILE* filePointer = fopen(filename.c_str() , "a+");
-            this->sylvanBdd.PrintText(filePointer);
-            fclose(filePointer);
+            // fopen returns a nullptr on failure
+            if (filePointer == nullptr) {
+                STORM_LOG_ERROR("Failure to open file: " << filename);
+            } else {
+                this->sylvanBdd.PrintText(filePointer);
+                fclose(filePointer);
+            }
         }
 
         sylvan::Bdd& InternalBdd<DdType::Sylvan>::getSylvanBdd() {