diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 956b0836..b5d4a672 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ SVN HEAD
   Program i2cdetect: Make the output clearer
   Program py-smbus: New! Python i2c-dev bindings (prog/py-smbus)
   Programs dump/*: More robust handling of user inputs
+  Programs pwmconfig, fancontrol: Handle write errors for bash 3.1
   Program sensord: Add pc87247 support (fans only)
                    Add vt1211 support (#2150)
                    Add w83627dhg support (David Holl, #2157)
diff --git a/prog/pwm/fancontrol b/prog/pwm/fancontrol
index d2c098ac..15076b49 100755
--- a/prog/pwm/fancontrol
+++ b/prog/pwm/fancontrol
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ function pwmdisable()
 		ENABLE=${1}_enable
 		if [ -f $ENABLE ]
 		then
-			echo 0 > $ENABLE
+			echo 0 > $ENABLE 2> /dev/null
 		fi
 	else
 		echo $MAX 0 > $1
@@ -139,8 +139,13 @@ function pwmenable()
 		ENABLE=${1}_enable
 		if [ -f $ENABLE ]
 		then
-			echo 1 > $ENABLE
+			echo 1 > $ENABLE 2> /dev/null
+			if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+			then
+				return 1
+			fi
 		fi
+		echo $MAX > $1
 	else
 		echo $MAX 1 > $1
 	fi
diff --git a/prog/pwm/pwmconfig b/prog/pwm/pwmconfig
index 4a0cfd0a..94f2c6de 100755
--- a/prog/pwm/pwmconfig
+++ b/prog/pwm/pwmconfig
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ function pwmdisable()
 		ENABLE=${1}_enable
 		if [ -w $ENABLE ]
 		then
-			echo 0 > $ENABLE
+			echo 0 > $ENABLE 2> /dev/null
 		fi
 	else
 		echo $MAX 0 > $1
@@ -114,8 +114,13 @@ function pwmenable()
 		ENABLE=${1}_enable
 		if [ -w $ENABLE ]
 		then
-			echo 1 > $ENABLE
+			echo 1 > $ENABLE 2> /dev/null
+			if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+			then
+				return 1
+			fi
 		fi
+		echo $MAX > $1
 	else
 		echo $MAX 1 > $1
 	fi
@@ -271,6 +276,11 @@ for i in $PWM
 do
 	echo Testing pwm control $i ...
 	pwmenable $i
+	if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+	then
+		echo "Manual control mode not supported, skipping."
+		continue
+	fi
 	pwmset $i 0
 	sleep $DELAY
 	if [ $? -ne 0 ]