diff --git a/minix/servers/vfs/fproc.h b/minix/servers/vfs/fproc.h
index 1831236ff..a303c357e 100644
--- a/minix/servers/vfs/fproc.h
+++ b/minix/servers/vfs/fproc.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ EXTERN struct fproc {
 
   int fp_blocked_on;		/* what is it blocked on */
   int fp_block_callnr;		/* blocked call if rd/wr can't finish */
-  int  fp_cum_io_partial;	/* partial byte count if rd/wr can't finish */
+  size_t fp_cum_io_partial;	/* partial byte count if write can't finish */
   endpoint_t fp_task;		/* which task is proc suspended on */
   cp_grant_id_t fp_grant;	/* revoke this grant on unsuspend if > -1 */
 
diff --git a/minix/servers/vfs/main.c b/minix/servers/vfs/main.c
index c092404f7..5d51d61f8 100644
--- a/minix/servers/vfs/main.c
+++ b/minix/servers/vfs/main.c
@@ -217,8 +217,17 @@ static void do_pending_pipe(void)
 
   r = rw_pipe(op, who_e, f, scratch(fp).io.io_buffer, scratch(fp).io.io_nbytes);
 
-  if (r != SUSPEND)  /* Do we have results to report? */
+  if (r != SUSPEND) { /* Do we have results to report? */
+	/* Process is writing, but there is no reader. Send a SIGPIPE signal.
+	 * This should match the corresponding code in read_write().
+	 */
+	if (r == EPIPE && op == WRITING) {
+		if (!(f->filp_flags & O_NOSIGPIPE))
+			sys_kill(fp->fp_endpoint, SIGPIPE);
+	}
+
 	replycode(fp->fp_endpoint, r);
+  }
 
   unlock_filp(f);
 }
diff --git a/minix/servers/vfs/read.c b/minix/servers/vfs/read.c
index 7f5ff144f..7cbe64a80 100644
--- a/minix/servers/vfs/read.c
+++ b/minix/servers/vfs/read.c
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ int read_write(struct fproc *rfp, int rw_flag, struct filp *f,
 
   if (r == EPIPE && rw_flag == WRITING) {
 	/* Process is writing, but there is no reader. Tell the kernel to
-	 * generate s SIGPIPE signal.
+	 * generate a SIGPIPE signal.
 	 */
 	if (!(f->filp_flags & O_NOSIGPIPE)) {
 		sys_kill(rfp->fp_endpoint, SIGPIPE);
@@ -326,12 +326,23 @@ size_t req_size;
 
   assert(rw_flag == READING || rw_flag == WRITING);
 
-  /* fp->fp_cum_io_partial is only nonzero when doing partial writes */
+  /* fp->fp_cum_io_partial is only nonzero when doing partial writes.
+   * We clear the field immediately here because we expect completion or error;
+   * its value must be (re)assigned if we end up suspending the write (again).
+   */
   cum_io = fp->fp_cum_io_partial;
+  fp->fp_cum_io_partial = 0;
 
   r = pipe_check(f, rw_flag, oflags, req_size, 0);
   if (r <= 0) {
-	if (r == SUSPEND) pipe_suspend(f, buf, req_size);
+	if (r == SUSPEND) {
+		fp->fp_cum_io_partial = cum_io;
+		pipe_suspend(f, buf, req_size);
+	}
+	/* If pipe_check returns an error instead of suspending the call, we
+	 * return that error, even if we are resuming a partially completed
+	 * operation (ie, a large blocking write), to match NetBSD's behavior.
+	 */
 	return(r);
   }
 
@@ -350,6 +361,7 @@ size_t req_size;
 		    buf, size, &new_pos, &cum_io_incr);
 
   if (r != OK) {
+	assert(r != SUSPEND);
 	return(r);
   }
 
@@ -366,7 +378,7 @@ size_t req_size;
 	/* partial write on pipe with */
 	/* O_NONBLOCK, return write count */
 	if (!(oflags & O_NONBLOCK)) {
-		/* partial write on pipe with req_size > PIPE_SIZE,
+		/* partial write on pipe with req_size > PIPE_BUF,
 		 * non-atomic
 		 */
 		fp->fp_cum_io_partial = cum_io;
@@ -375,7 +387,7 @@ size_t req_size;
 	}
   }
 
-  fp->fp_cum_io_partial = 0;
+  assert(fp->fp_cum_io_partial == 0);
 
   return(cum_io);
 }
diff --git a/minix/tests/test68.c b/minix/tests/test68.c
index 99581677d..d9e3bab65 100644
--- a/minix/tests/test68.c
+++ b/minix/tests/test68.c
@@ -288,6 +288,74 @@ test_pipe_flag_setting()
 	if (close(pipes[1]) != 0) e(22);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Test the behavior of a large pipe write that achieves partial progress
+ * before the reader end is closed.  The write call is expected to return EPIPE
+ * and generate a SIGPIPE signal, and otherwise leave the system in good order.
+ */
+static void
+test_pipe_partial_write(void)
+{
+	char buf[PIPE_BUF + 2];
+	int pfd[2], status;
+
+	signal(SIGPIPE, pipe_handler);
+
+	if (pipe(pfd) < 0) e(1);
+
+	switch (fork()) {
+	case 0:
+		close(pfd[1]);
+
+		sleep(1); /* let the parent block on the write(2) */
+
+		/*
+		 * This one-byte read raises the question whether the write
+		 * should return partial progress or not, since consumption of
+		 * part of its data is now clearly visible.  NetBSD chooses
+		 * *not* to return partial progress, and MINIX3 follows suit.
+		 */
+		if (read(pfd[0], buf, 1) != 1) e(2);
+
+		sleep(1); /* let VFS retry satisfying the write(2) */
+
+		exit(errct); /* close the reader side of the pipe */
+
+	case -1:
+		e(3);
+
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+
+	close(pfd[0]);
+
+	seen_pipe_signal = 0;
+
+	/*
+	 * The following large write should block until the child exits, as
+	 * that is when the read end closes, thus making eventual completion of
+	 * the write impossible.
+	 */
+	if (write(pfd[1], buf, sizeof(buf)) != -1) e(4);
+	if (errno != EPIPE) e(5);
+	if (seen_pipe_signal != 1) e(6);
+
+	seen_pipe_signal = 0;
+
+	/* A subsequent write used to cause a system crash. */
+	if (write(pfd[1], buf, 1) != -1) e(7);
+	if (errno != EPIPE) e(8);
+	if (seen_pipe_signal != 1) e(9);
+
+	/* Clean up. */
+	close(pfd[1]);
+
+	if (wait(&status) <= 0) e(10);
+	if (!WIFEXITED(status)) e(11);
+	errct += WEXITSTATUS(status);
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -298,6 +366,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	test_pipe_cloexec();
 	test_pipe_nonblock();
 	test_pipe_nosigpipe();
+	test_pipe_partial_write();
 	quit();
 	return(-1);	/* Unreachable */
 }