diff -ur phatch-0.2.7_orig/phatch/core/api.py phatch-0.2.7/phatch/core/api.py
--- phatch-0.2.7_orig/phatch/core/api.py	2010-03-12 12:29:26.000000000 +0530
+++ phatch-0.2.7/phatch/core/api.py	2011-05-12 23:27:20.398002673 +0530
@@ -774,11 +774,17 @@
     #open image and check for errors
     photo, result = get_photo(image_info, info_not_file, result)
     if result['abort']:
+      if(photo is None):
+        return 'return'
+      else:
         photo.close()
         return 'return'
     elif not photo or result['skip']:
-        photo.close()
-        return 'continue'
+        if(photo is None):
+           return 'continue'
+        else:
+           photo.close()
+           return 'continue'
     info = photo.info
     info.set('imageindex', image_index)
     image = photo.get_layer().image