diff --git a/pkg/output/channel_writer.go b/pkg/output/channel_writer.go
index 86be3324a..3a8cab8e4 100644
--- a/pkg/output/channel_writer.go
+++ b/pkg/output/channel_writer.go
@@ -70,8 +70,9 @@ func channelWriterHandleBatch(
 
 			// XXX more
 			// XXX also make sure this results in exit 1 & goroutine cleanup
-			if writerOptions.FailOnDataError {
+			if writerOptions.FailOnDataError && record != nil {
 				ok := true
+				fmt.Printf("AAA %#v", record)
 				for pe := record.Head; pe != nil; pe = pe.Next {
 					if pe.Value.IsError() {
 						context := recordAndContext.Context
diff --git a/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/cmd b/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/cmd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11bc26154
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/cmd
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+mlr --from test/input/s.dkvp put -q 'begin{print 8}; end{print 9}'
diff --git a/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/experr b/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/experr
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/expout b/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/expout
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..512858e60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cases/dsl-begin-end/0010/expout
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+8
+9