diff --git a/libgfortran/ChangeLog b/libgfortran/ChangeLog
index debd88c8f4f..04803ec28d6 100644
--- a/libgfortran/ChangeLog
+++ b/libgfortran/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2012-12-26  Jerry DeLisle  <jvdelisle@gcc.gnu.org>
+
+	PR libfortran/48960
+	* io/open.c (st_parameter_open):  Assign newunit number to user
+	variable only if the the associated open statement is successful. 
+
 2012-12-26  Janne Blomqvist  <jb@gcc.gnu.org>
 
 	PR fortran/55539
diff --git a/libgfortran/io/open.c b/libgfortran/io/open.c
index d086d2edfef..c6b73033e86 100644
--- a/libgfortran/io/open.c
+++ b/libgfortran/io/open.c
@@ -844,10 +844,7 @@ st_open (st_parameter_open *opp)
   if ((opp->common.flags & IOPARM_LIBRETURN_MASK) == IOPARM_LIBRETURN_OK)
     {
       if ((opp->common.flags & IOPARM_OPEN_HAS_NEWUNIT))
-	{
-	  *opp->newunit = get_unique_unit_number(opp);
-	  opp->common.unit = *opp->newunit;
-	}
+	opp->common.unit = get_unique_unit_number(opp);
 
       u = find_or_create_unit (opp->common.unit);
       if (u->s == NULL)
@@ -859,6 +856,10 @@ st_open (st_parameter_open *opp)
       else
 	already_open (opp, u, &flags);
     }
-
+    
+  if ((opp->common.flags & IOPARM_OPEN_HAS_NEWUNIT)
+      && (opp->common.flags & IOPARM_LIBRETURN_MASK) == IOPARM_LIBRETURN_OK)
+    *opp->newunit = opp->common.unit;
+  
   library_end ();
 }