diff -ur b/atd.c a/atd.c
--- b/atd.c	2022-02-22 16:09:15.683717386 +0100
+++ a/atd.c	2022-02-22 16:12:48.992989327 +0100
@@ -344,9 +344,12 @@
      */
 
     pid = fork();
-    if (pid == -1)
-	perr("Cannot fork");
-
+    if (pid == -1) {
+	lerr("Cannot fork for job execution");
+	free(mailname);
+	free(newname);
+	return;
+    }
     else if (pid != 0) {
 	free(mailname);
 	free(newname);
@@ -659,16 +662,20 @@
      * up.
      */
 
-    if (stat(".", &buf) == -1)
-	perr("Cannot stat " ATJOB_DIR);
+    if (stat(".", &buf) == -1) {
+	lerr("Cannot stat " ATJOB_DIR);
+        return next_job;
+    }
 
     if (nothing_to_do && buf.st_mtime == last_chg)
 	return next_job;
     last_chg = buf.st_mtime;
 
     hupped = 0;
-    if ((spool = opendir(".")) == NULL)
-	perr("Cannot read " ATJOB_DIR);
+    if ((spool = opendir(".")) == NULL) {
+	lerr("Cannot read " ATJOB_DIR);
+        return next_job;
+    }
 
     run_batch = 0;
     nothing_to_do = 1;