--- xen-4.1.2/tools/python/xen/xend/image.py.orig	2011-10-20 18:05:44.000000000 +0100
+++ xen-4.1.2/tools/python/xen/xend/image.py	2011-11-20 20:41:10.730905790 +0000
@@ -43,7 +43,11 @@
 from xen.util import utils
 from xen.xend import osdep
 
-xc = xen.lowlevel.xc.xc()
+try:
+    xc = xen.lowlevel.xc.xc()
+except Exception:
+    print >>sys.stderr, ('xend/image.py: Error connecting to hypervisor')
+    os._exit(1)
 
 MAX_GUEST_CMDLINE = 1024
 
--- xen-4.1.2/tools/python/xen/xend/XendLogging.py.orig	2011-10-20 18:05:44.000000000 +0100
+++ xen-4.1.2/tools/python/xen/xend/XendLogging.py	2012-01-10 21:27:57.304916048 +0000
@@ -132,7 +132,11 @@
         fileHandler = openFileHandler(filename)
         logfilename = filename
     except IOError:
-        logfilename = tempfile.mkstemp("-xend.log")[1]
+        try:
+            logfilename = tempfile.mkstemp("-xend.log")[1]
+        except IOError:
+            print >>sys.stderr, ('xend/XendLogging.py: Unable to open standard or temporary log file for xend')
+            os._exit(1)
         fileHandler = openFileHandler(logfilename)
 
     fileHandler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter(LOGFILE_FORMAT, DATE_FORMAT))