diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index aeeb4a5..030a9ca 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+New in TBD:
+
+API Changes:
+
+  * Types
+    - New NFC_ESOFT error to handle software errors (allocations, pie creation, etc.)
+
 New in 1.6.0-rc1:
 
 API Changes:
diff --git a/include/nfc/nfc.h b/include/nfc/nfc.h
index 97457ef..d00bf95 100644
--- a/include/nfc/nfc.h
+++ b/include/nfc/nfc.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ extern  "C" {
 #define NFC_SUCCESS			 0
 /** @ingroup error
  * @hideinitializer
- * Input / output error, device will not be usable anymore 
+ * Input / output error, device may not be usable anymore without re-open it
  */
 #define NFC_EIO				-1
 /** @ingroup error
@@ -172,6 +172,11 @@ extern  "C" {
  * Error while RF transmission 
  */
 #define NFC_ERFTRANS			-20
+/** @ingroup error
+ * @hideinitializer
+ * Software error (allocation, file/pipe creation, etc.)
+ */
+#define NFC_ESOFT			-80
 /** @ingroup error
  * @hideinitializer
  * Device's internal chip error 
diff --git a/libnfc/drivers/acr122s.c b/libnfc/drivers/acr122s.c
index 2718963..43bf797 100644
--- a/libnfc/drivers/acr122s.c
+++ b/libnfc/drivers/acr122s.c
@@ -586,7 +586,9 @@ acr122s_open(const nfc_connstring connstring)
   DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->seq = 0;
 
 #ifndef WIN32
-  pipe(DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_fds);
+  if (pipe(DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_fds) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
 #else
   DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_flag = false;
 #endif
@@ -704,7 +706,9 @@ acr122s_abort_command(nfc_device *pnd)
 #ifndef WIN32
     close(DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_fds[0]);
     close(DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_fds[1]);
-    pipe(DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_fds);
+    if (pipe(DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_fds) < 0 ) {
+      return NFC_ESOFT;
+    }
 #else
     DRIVER_DATA(pnd)->abort_flag = true;
 #endif
diff --git a/libnfc/drivers/arygon.c b/libnfc/drivers/arygon.c
index a7e4c81..1936bbb 100644
--- a/libnfc/drivers/arygon.c
+++ b/libnfc/drivers/arygon.c
@@ -265,7 +265,9 @@ arygon_open (const nfc_connstring connstring)
 
 #ifndef WIN32
   // pipe-based abort mecanism
-  pipe (DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->iAbortFds);
+  if (pipe (DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->iAbortFds) < 0) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
 #else
   DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->abort_flag = false;
 #endif
@@ -545,7 +547,9 @@ arygon_abort_command (nfc_device *pnd)
   if (pnd) {
 #ifndef WIN32
     close (DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->iAbortFds[0]);
-    pipe (DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->iAbortFds);
+    if (pipe (DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->iAbortFds) < 0) {
+      return NFC_ESOFT;
+    }
 #else
     DRIVER_DATA (pnd)->abort_flag = true;
 #endif