diff --git a/include/protobuf.h b/include/protobuf.h
index ae9a65c77..025cb6d51 100644
--- a/include/protobuf.h
+++ b/include/protobuf.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct collect_image_info {
 
 #define COLLECT_SHARED		0x1	/* use shared memory for obj-s */
 #define COLLECT_OPTIONAL	0x2	/* image file may be missing */
+#define COLLECT_HAPPENED	0x4	/* image was opened and collected */
 
 extern int collect_image(struct collect_image_info *);
 
diff --git a/protobuf.c b/protobuf.c
index 8fe76bc9b..f73fb285a 100644
--- a/protobuf.c
+++ b/protobuf.c
@@ -648,6 +648,7 @@ int collect_image(struct collect_image_info *cinfo)
 			return -1;
 	}
 
+	cinfo->flags |= COLLECT_HAPPENED;
 	if (cinfo->flags & COLLECT_SHARED) {
 		o_alloc = shmalloc;
 		o_free = shfree_last;