while (count > 0) {
                ssize_t loaded = xread(fd, p, count);
-               if (loaded <= 0)
-                       return total ? total : loaded;
+               if (loaded < 0)
+                       return -1;
+               if (loaded == 0)
+                       return total;
                count -= loaded;
                p += loaded;
                total += loaded;
                if (!template[0])
                        template = origtemplate;
 
-               nonrelative_template = make_nonrelative_path(template);
+               nonrelative_template = absolute_path(template);
                errno = saved_errno;
                die_errno("Unable to create temporary file '%s'",
                        nonrelative_template);
                if (!template[0])
                        template = origtemplate;
 
-               nonrelative_template = make_nonrelative_path(template);
+               nonrelative_template = absolute_path(template);
                errno = saved_errno;
                die_errno("Unable to create temporary file '%s'",
                        nonrelative_template);