diff --git a/run-command.c b/run-command.c
index 0cd7f02ffe..c8d53795ec 100644
--- a/run-command.c
+++ b/run-command.c
@@ -67,19 +67,21 @@ static int child_notifier = -1;
 
 static void notify_parent(void)
 {
-	write(child_notifier, "", 1);
+	ssize_t unused;
+	unused = write(child_notifier, "", 1);
 }
 
 static NORETURN void die_child(const char *err, va_list params)
 {
 	char msg[4096];
+	ssize_t unused;
 	int len = vsnprintf(msg, sizeof(msg), err, params);
 	if (len > sizeof(msg))
 		len = sizeof(msg);
 
-	write(child_err, "fatal: ", 7);
-	write(child_err, msg, len);
-	write(child_err, "\n", 1);
+	unused = write(child_err, "fatal: ", 7);
+	unused = write(child_err, msg, len);
+	unused = write(child_err, "\n", 1);
 	exit(128);
 }