diff --git a/apps/systemlib/param/param.c b/apps/systemlib/param/param.c
index ddf9b0975d..ebb72ca3e1 100644
--- a/apps/systemlib/param/param.c
+++ b/apps/systemlib/param/param.c
@@ -517,13 +517,11 @@ param_save_default(void)
 	}
 
 	int result = param_export(fd, false);
-	/* should not be necessary, over-careful here */
-	fsync(fd);
 	close(fd);
 
 	if (result != 0) {
-		unlink(param_get_default_file());
 		warn("error exporting parameters to '%s'", param_get_default_file());
+		unlink(param_get_default_file());
 		return -2;
 	}
 
diff --git a/apps/systemlib/param/param.h b/apps/systemlib/param/param.h
index 6fa73b5a48..084cd931a3 100644
--- a/apps/systemlib/param/param.h
+++ b/apps/systemlib/param/param.h
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ __EXPORT int 		param_set_default_file(const char* filename);
  *			a result of a call to param_set_default_file, or the 
  *			built-in default.
  */
-__EXPORT const char 	*param_get_default_file(void);
+__EXPORT const char*	param_get_default_file(void);
 
 /**
  * Save parameters to the default file.