diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/plot/plot.c b/sys/src/cmd/plot/plot.c
index 591efe96b..2c90ef15b 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/plot/plot.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/plot/plot.c
@@ -673,7 +673,8 @@ int server(void){
 	int fd, p[2];
 	char buf[32];
 	pipe(p);
-	fd = create("/srv/plot", 1, 0666);
+	if((fd = create("/srv/plot", OWRITE, 0666)) < 0)
+		sysfatal("open: %r");
 	sprint(buf, "%d", p[1]);
 	write(fd, buf, strlen(buf));
 	close(fd);