diff --git a/lib/utilunix.c b/lib/utilunix.c
index ec81d0754..f580591e4 100644
--- a/lib/utilunix.c
+++ b/lib/utilunix.c
@@ -675,6 +675,13 @@ mc_pclose (mc_pipe_t * p, GError ** error)
 {
     int res;
 
+    if (p == NULL)
+    {
+        mc_replace_error (error, MC_PIPE_ERROR_READ, "%s",
+                          _("Cannot close pipe descriptor (p == NULL)"));
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (p->out.fd >= 0)
         res = close (p->out.fd);
     if (p->err.fd >= 0)
diff --git a/src/viewer/growbuf.c b/src/viewer/growbuf.c
index c4ada83a2..9b9753694 100644
--- a/src/viewer/growbuf.c
+++ b/src/viewer/growbuf.c
@@ -186,6 +186,16 @@ mcview_growbuf_read_until (WView * view, off_t ofs)
                 view->pipe_first_err_msg = FALSE;
 
                 mcview_show_error (view, sp->err.buf);
+
+                /* when switch from parse to raw mode and back,
+                 * do not close the already closed pipe (see call to mcview_growbuf_done below).
+                 * return from here since (sp == view->ds_stdio_pipe) would now be invalid.
+                 * NOTE: this check was removed by ticket #4103 but the above call to
+                 *       mcview_show_error triggers the stdio pipe handle to be closed:
+                 *       mcview_close_datasource -> mcview_growbuf_done
+                 */
+                if (view->ds_stdio_pipe == NULL)
+                    return;
             }
 
             if (sp->out.len > 0)