diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 893b8ac5c01..7895e7531d7 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ What's New in Python 2.6 alpha 2?
 Core and builtins
 -----------------
 
+- Patch #1442: properly report exceptions when the PYTHONSTARTUP file
+  cannot be executed.
+
 - The compilation of a class nested in another class used to leak one
   reference on the outer class name.
 
diff --git a/Modules/main.c b/Modules/main.c
index 21cb48703d4..a9197401254 100644
--- a/Modules/main.c
+++ b/Modules/main.c
@@ -140,6 +140,15 @@ static void RunStartupFile(PyCompilerFlags *cf)
 			(void) PyRun_SimpleFileExFlags(fp, startup, 0, cf);
 			PyErr_Clear();
 			fclose(fp);
+               } else {
+			int save_errno;
+			save_errno = errno;
+			PySys_WriteStderr("Could not open PYTHONSTARTUP\n");
+			errno = save_errno;
+			PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_IOError,
+						       startup);
+			PyErr_Print();
+			PyErr_Clear();
 		}
 	}
 }