diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 3fe0fa2b73..44a3edc3c6 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
 
+2.0-891 | 2012-07-26 17:15:10 -0700
+
+  * Reader/writer API: preventing plugins from receiving further
+    messages after a failure. (Robin Sommer)
+
+  * New test for input framework that fails to find a file. (Robin
+    Sommer)
+    
+  * Improving error handling for threads. (Robin Sommer)
+    
+  * Tweaking the custom-rotate test to produce stable output. (Robin
+    Sommer)
+
 2.0-884 | 2012-07-26 14:33:21 -0700
 
   * Add comprehensive error handling for close() calls. (Jon Siwek)
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index ced5c78870..b97bde7b8d 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.0-884
+2.0-891
diff --git a/src/input/ReaderBackend.cc b/src/input/ReaderBackend.cc
index 88a78c3cd7..81060be7d5 100644
--- a/src/input/ReaderBackend.cc
+++ b/src/input/ReaderBackend.cc
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@ void ReaderBackend::SendEntry(Value* *vals)
 bool ReaderBackend::Init(const int arg_num_fields,
 		         const threading::Field* const* arg_fields)
 	{
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	num_fields = arg_num_fields;
 	fields = arg_fields;
 
@@ -210,7 +213,9 @@ bool ReaderBackend::Init(const int arg_num_fields,
 
 bool ReaderBackend::OnFinish(double network_time)
 	{
-	DoClose();
+	if ( ! Failed() )
+		DoClose();
+
 	disabled = true; // frontend disables itself when it gets the Close-message.
 	SendOut(new ReaderClosedMessage(frontend));
 
@@ -231,6 +236,9 @@ bool ReaderBackend::Update()
 	if ( disabled )
 		return false;
 
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	bool success = DoUpdate();
 	if ( ! success )
 		DisableFrontend();
@@ -248,6 +256,9 @@ void ReaderBackend::DisableFrontend()
 
 bool ReaderBackend::OnHeartbeat(double network_time, double current_time)
 	{
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	return DoHeartbeat(network_time, current_time);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/logging/WriterBackend.cc b/src/logging/WriterBackend.cc
index 2933062eff..afdc4b99c5 100644
--- a/src/logging/WriterBackend.cc
+++ b/src/logging/WriterBackend.cc
@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ bool WriterBackend::Init(int arg_num_fields, const Field* const* arg_fields)
 	num_fields = arg_num_fields;
 	fields = arg_fields;
 
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	if ( ! DoInit(*info, arg_num_fields, arg_fields) )
 		{
 		DisableFrontend();
@@ -222,12 +225,15 @@ bool WriterBackend::Write(int arg_num_fields, int num_writes, Value*** vals)
 
 	bool success = true;
 
-	for ( int j = 0; j < num_writes; j++ )
+	if ( ! Failed() )
 		{
-		success = DoWrite(num_fields, fields, vals[j]);
+		for ( int j = 0; j < num_writes; j++ )
+			{
+			success = DoWrite(num_fields, fields, vals[j]);
 
-		if ( ! success )
-			break;
+			if ( ! success )
+				break;
+			}
 		}
 
 	DeleteVals(num_writes, vals);
@@ -244,6 +250,9 @@ bool WriterBackend::SetBuf(bool enabled)
 		// No change.
 		return true;
 
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	buffering = enabled;
 
 	if ( ! DoSetBuf(enabled) )
@@ -258,6 +267,9 @@ bool WriterBackend::SetBuf(bool enabled)
 bool WriterBackend::Rotate(const char* rotated_path, double open,
 			   double close, bool terminating)
 	{
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	if ( ! DoRotate(rotated_path, open, close, terminating) )
 		{
 		DisableFrontend();
@@ -269,6 +281,9 @@ bool WriterBackend::Rotate(const char* rotated_path, double open,
 
 bool WriterBackend::Flush(double network_time)
 	{
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	if ( ! DoFlush(network_time) )
 		{
 		DisableFrontend();
@@ -280,11 +295,17 @@ bool WriterBackend::Flush(double network_time)
 
 bool WriterBackend::OnFinish(double network_time)
 	{
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	return DoFinish(network_time);
 	}
 
 bool WriterBackend::OnHeartbeat(double network_time, double current_time)
 	{
+	if ( Failed() )
+		return true;
+
 	SendOut(new FlushWriteBufferMessage(frontend));
 	return DoHeartbeat(network_time, current_time);
 	}
diff --git a/src/logging/WriterBackend.h b/src/logging/WriterBackend.h
index d5f2be225e..77dbe71f45 100644
--- a/src/logging/WriterBackend.h
+++ b/src/logging/WriterBackend.h
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ public:
 	/**
 	 * Disables the frontend that has instantiated this backend. Once
 	 * disabled,the frontend will not send any further message over.
+	 *
+	 * TODO: Do we still need this method (and the corresponding message)?
 	 */
 	void DisableFrontend();
 
diff --git a/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc b/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc
index 0ccdd1f569..c471b3db0c 100644
--- a/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc
+++ b/src/logging/writers/Ascii.cc
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ void Ascii::CloseFile(double t)
 
 bool Ascii::DoInit(const WriterInfo& info, int num_fields, const Field* const * fields)
 	{
-    assert(! fd);
+	assert(! fd);
 
 	string path = info.path;
 
diff --git a/src/threading/MsgThread.cc b/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
index e0f3fd8b0c..6c63c5a287 100644
--- a/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
+++ b/src/threading/MsgThread.cc
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ MsgThread::MsgThread() : BasicThread(), queue_in(this, 0), queue_out(0, this)
 	{
 	cnt_sent_in = cnt_sent_out = 0;
 	finished = false;
+	failed = false;
 	thread_mgr->AddMsgThread(this);
 	}
 
@@ -363,6 +364,7 @@ void MsgThread::Run()
 			// error messages have been processed by then main
 			// thread).
 			SendOut(new KillMeMessage(this));
+			failed = true;
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/threading/MsgThread.h b/src/threading/MsgThread.h
index da505de6be..e3e7c8500f 100644
--- a/src/threading/MsgThread.h
+++ b/src/threading/MsgThread.h
@@ -201,6 +201,12 @@ protected:
 	 */
 	void HeartbeatInChild();
 
+	/** Returns true if a child command has reported a failure. In that case, we'll
+	  * be in the process of killing this thread and no further activity
+	  * should carried out. To be called only from this child thread.
+	  */
+	bool Failed() const { return failed; }
+
 	/**
 	 * Regulatly triggered for execution in the child thread.
 	 *
@@ -294,6 +300,7 @@ private:
 	uint64_t cnt_sent_out;	// Counts message sent by child.
 
 	bool finished;	// Set to true by Finished message.
+	bool failed;	// Set to true when a command failed.
 };
 
 /**