diff --git a/src/cmd.c b/src/cmd.c
index 8f711e03a..35d055e5d 100644
--- a/src/cmd.c
+++ b/src/cmd.c
@@ -1305,7 +1305,8 @@ dirsizes_cmd (void)
 void
 save_setup_cmd (void)
 {
-    save_setup ();
+    if (! save_setup ())
+	return;
     message (D_NORMAL, _(" Setup "), _(" Setup saved to ~/%s"),
 	     MC_USERCONF_DIR PATH_SEP_STR MC_CONFIG_FILE);
 }
diff --git a/src/hotlist.c b/src/hotlist.c
index 2641ec4b0..122327d0c 100644
--- a/src/hotlist.c
+++ b/src/hotlist.c
@@ -1487,8 +1487,10 @@ load_hotlist (void)
     }
 
     if (remove_old_list) {
+	GError *error = NULL;
 	clean_up_hotlist_groups ("Hotlist");
-	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config);
+	if (! mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config, &error))
+	    setup_save_config_show_error(mc_main_config->ini_path, &error);
     }
 
     stat (hotlist_file_name, &stat_buf);
diff --git a/src/layout.c b/src/layout.c
index e61e4ea13..a770c9913 100644
--- a/src/layout.c
+++ b/src/layout.c
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ void layout_cmd (void)
     }
     if (result == B_EXIT){
 	save_layout ();
-	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config);
+	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config, NULL);
     }
 
     destroy_dlg (layout_dlg);
diff --git a/src/learn.c b/src/learn.c
index c97fab6b7..f2388e1ab 100644
--- a/src/learn.c
+++ b/src/learn.c
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ learn_save (void)
      * disk is much worse.
      */
     if (profile_changed)
-	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config);
+	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config, NULL);
 
     g_free (section);
 }
diff --git a/src/mcconfig/common.c b/src/mcconfig/common.c
index 6e46d2986..39b2e2159 100644
--- a/src/mcconfig/common.c
+++ b/src/mcconfig/common.c
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
+#include <string.h> /* strerror() */
+#include <errno.h> /* extern int errno */
+
 
 #include "global.h"
 
@@ -45,7 +48,8 @@ mc_config_t *mc_panels_config;
 /* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
 
 static gboolean
-mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path)
+mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path,
+                                GError **error)
 {
     gchar *data, *written_data;
     gsize len, total_written;
@@ -55,15 +59,17 @@ mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path)
 
     data = g_key_file_to_data (mc_config->handle, &len, NULL);
     if (!exist_file (ini_path)) {
-        ret = g_file_set_contents (ini_path, data, len, NULL);
+        ret = g_file_set_contents (ini_path, data, len, error);
         g_free (data);
         return ret;
     }
     mc_util_make_backup_if_possible (ini_path, "~");
 
     fd = mc_open (ini_path, O_WRONLY | O_TRUNC | O_SYNC, 0);
-    if (fd == -1)
+    if (fd == -1) {
+        g_propagate_error (error, g_error_new (mc_main_error_quark() ,0, strerror(errno)));
         return FALSE;
+    }
 
     for (written_data = data, total_written = len;
          (cur_written = mc_write (fd, (const void *) written_data, total_written)) > 0;
@@ -73,6 +79,7 @@ mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path)
 
     if (cur_written == -1) {
         mc_util_restore_from_backup_if_possible (ini_path, "~");
+        g_propagate_error (error, g_error_new (mc_main_error_quark() ,0, strerror(errno)));
         return FALSE;
     }
 
@@ -221,24 +228,24 @@ mc_config_read_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path)
 /* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
 
 gboolean
-mc_config_save_file (mc_config_t * mc_config)
+mc_config_save_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, GError **error)
 {
     if (mc_config == NULL || mc_config->ini_path == NULL) {
         return FALSE;
     }
-    return mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config, mc_config->ini_path);
+    return mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config, mc_config->ini_path, error);
 }
 
 /* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - */
 
 gboolean
-mc_config_save_to_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path)
+mc_config_save_to_file (mc_config_t * mc_config, const gchar * ini_path, GError **error)
 {
 
     if (mc_config == NULL) {
         return FALSE;
     }
-    return mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config, ini_path);
+    return mc_config_new_or_override_file (mc_config, ini_path, error);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mcconfig/mcconfig.h b/src/mcconfig/mcconfig.h
index 29e78bfa9..e2fad45ef 100644
--- a/src/mcconfig/mcconfig.h
+++ b/src/mcconfig/mcconfig.h
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@
 
 /*** structures declarations (and typedefs of structures)***************/
 
-typedef struct mc_config_struct
-{
+typedef struct mc_config_struct {
     GKeyFile *handle;
     gchar *ini_path;
 } mc_config_t;
@@ -36,9 +35,10 @@ gboolean mc_config_has_group (mc_config_t *, const char *);
 
 gboolean mc_config_read_file (mc_config_t *, const gchar *);
 
-gboolean mc_config_save_file (mc_config_t *);
+gboolean mc_config_save_file (mc_config_t * config, GError **error);
 
-gboolean mc_config_save_to_file (mc_config_t *, const gchar *);
+gboolean mc_config_save_to_file (mc_config_t * config, const gchar * filename,
+                                 GError **error);
 
 /* mcconfig/get.c: */
 
@@ -46,54 +46,44 @@ gchar **mc_config_get_groups (mc_config_t *, gsize *);
 
 gchar **mc_config_get_keys (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, gsize *);
 
-gchar *mc_config_get_string (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *,
-			     const gchar *);
+gchar *mc_config_get_string (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, const gchar *);
 
-gchar *mc_config_get_string_raw (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *,
-			     const gchar *);
+gchar *mc_config_get_string_raw (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, const gchar *);
 
-gboolean mc_config_get_bool (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *,
-			     gboolean);
+gboolean mc_config_get_bool (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gboolean);
 
 int mc_config_get_int (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, int);
 
 
-gchar **mc_config_get_string_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-				   const gchar *, gsize *);
+gchar **mc_config_get_string_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gsize *);
 
-gboolean *mc_config_get_bool_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-				   const gchar *, gsize *);
+gboolean *mc_config_get_bool_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gsize *);
 
-int *mc_config_get_int_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-			     const gchar *, gsize *);
+int *mc_config_get_int_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gsize *);
 
 
 /* mcconfig/set.c: */
 
 void
-mc_config_direct_set_string (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-		      const gchar *, const gchar *);
+  mc_config_direct_set_string (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, const gchar *);
 
 void
-mc_config_set_string (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-		      const gchar *, const gchar *);
+  mc_config_set_string (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, const gchar *);
 
 void
-mc_config_set_bool (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gboolean);
+  mc_config_set_bool (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gboolean);
 
 void mc_config_set_int (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, int);
 
 void
-mc_config_set_string_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-			   const gchar *, const gchar * const[], gsize);
+  mc_config_set_string_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
+                             const gchar *, const gchar * const[], gsize);
 
 void
-mc_config_set_bool_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-			 const gchar *, gboolean[], gsize);
+  mc_config_set_bool_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, gboolean[], gsize);
 
 void
-mc_config_set_int_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *,
-			const gchar *, int[], gsize);
+  mc_config_set_int_list (mc_config_t *, const gchar *, const gchar *, int[], gsize);
 
 
 /* mcconfig/dialog.c: */
diff --git a/src/option.c b/src/option.c
index 176a2cb07..724864225 100644
--- a/src/option.c
+++ b/src/option.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ void configure_box (void)
     /* If they pressed the save button */
     if (result == B_EXIT){
 	save_configure ();
-	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config);
+	mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config, NULL);
     }
 
     destroy_dlg (conf_dlg);
diff --git a/src/panelize.c b/src/panelize.c
index ffbcf841a..9179deb62 100644
--- a/src/panelize.c
+++ b/src/panelize.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ void save_panelize (void)
 				current->label,
 				current->command);
     }
-    mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config);
+    mc_config_save_file (mc_main_config, NULL);
 }
 
 void done_panelize (void)
diff --git a/src/setup.c b/src/setup.c
index 99e263d42..66d3457e3 100644
--- a/src/setup.c
+++ b/src/setup.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #include "file.h"		/* safe_delete */
 #include "keybind.h"		/* lookup_action */
 #include "fileloc.h"
+#include "wtools.h"
 
 #ifdef USE_VFS
 #include "../vfs/gc.h"
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ save_layout (void)
     for (i = 0; layout [i].opt_name; i++){
 	mc_config_set_int(mc_main_config, "Layout", layout [i].opt_name, *layout [i].opt_addr);
     }
-    mc_config_save_to_file (mc_main_config, profile);
+    mc_config_save_to_file (mc_main_config, profile, NULL);
 
     g_free (profile);
 }
@@ -292,6 +293,7 @@ void
 save_configure (void)
 {
     char *profile;
+    GError *error = NULL;
     int  i;
 
     profile = g_build_filename (home_dir, MC_USERCONF_DIR, MC_CONFIG_FILE, NULL);
@@ -304,7 +306,9 @@ save_configure (void)
     for (i = 0; str_options[i].opt_name != NULL; i++)
 	mc_config_set_string(mc_main_config, CONFIG_APP_SECTION, str_options[i].opt_name, *str_options[i].opt_addr);
 
-    mc_config_save_to_file (mc_main_config, profile);
+    if (! mc_config_save_to_file (mc_main_config, profile, &error))
+	setup_save_config_show_error(profile, &error);
+
     g_free (profile);
 }
 
@@ -348,13 +352,14 @@ save_panel_types (void)
     mc_config_del_group (mc_panels_config, "Temporal:New Left Panel");
     mc_config_del_group (mc_panels_config, "Temporal:New Right Panel");
 
-    mc_config_save_file (mc_panels_config);
+    mc_config_save_file (mc_panels_config, NULL);
 }
 
-void
+gboolean
 save_setup (void)
 {
     char *tmp_profile;
+    gboolean ret;
 
     saving_setup = 1;
 
@@ -383,9 +388,11 @@ save_setup (void)
 		 get_codepage_id( source_codepage ));
 #endif /* HAVE_CHARSET */
     tmp_profile = g_build_filename (home_dir, MC_USERCONF_DIR, MC_CONFIG_FILE, NULL);
-    mc_config_save_to_file (mc_main_config, tmp_profile);
+    ret = mc_config_save_to_file (mc_main_config, tmp_profile, NULL);
+
     g_free (tmp_profile);
     saving_setup = 0;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 void
@@ -504,7 +511,7 @@ setup__move_panels_config_into_separate_file(const char*profile)
         curr_grp++;
     }
 
-    mc_config_save_to_file (tmp_cfg, panels_profile_name);
+    mc_config_save_to_file (tmp_cfg, panels_profile_name, NULL);
     mc_config_deinit(tmp_cfg);
 
     tmp_cfg = mc_config_init(profile);
@@ -526,7 +533,7 @@ setup__move_panels_config_into_separate_file(const char*profile)
         curr_grp++;
     }
     g_strfreev(groups);
-    mc_config_save_file (tmp_cfg);
+    mc_config_save_file (tmp_cfg, NULL);
     mc_config_deinit(tmp_cfg);
 
 }
@@ -993,3 +1000,16 @@ load_keymap_defs (void)
         mc_config_deinit (mc_global_keymap);
     }
 }
+
+void
+setup_save_config_show_error(const char *filename, GError **error)
+{
+    if (error == NULL || *error == NULL)
+        return;
+
+    message (D_ERROR, MSG_ERROR, _("Cannot save file %s:\n%s"),
+             filename, (*error)->message);
+
+    g_error_free(*error);
+    *error = NULL;
+}
diff --git a/src/setup.h b/src/setup.h
index 74da03320..7716c459a 100644
--- a/src/setup.h
+++ b/src/setup.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ char *setup_init (void);
 void save_layout (void);
 void save_configure (void);
 void load_setup (void);
-void save_setup (void);
+gboolean save_setup (void);
 void done_setup (void);
 void load_key_defs (void);
 char *load_anon_passwd (void);
@@ -36,5 +36,6 @@ extern int mouse_close_dialog;
 extern int reverse_files_only;
 
 extern int setup_copymove_persistent_attr;
+void setup_save_config_show_error(const char *filename, GError **error);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/widget.c b/src/widget.c
index 9e5c42c0a..89b0b3e6f 100644
--- a/src/widget.c
+++ b/src/widget.c
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@ history_put (const char *input_name, GList *h)
 	}
     }
 
-    mc_config_save_file (cfg);
+    mc_config_save_file (cfg, NULL);
     mc_config_deinit(cfg);
     g_free (profile);
 }