diff --git a/src/misc1.c b/src/misc1.c
index cb31e20..f32cb25 100644
--- a/src/misc1.c
+++ b/src/misc1.c
@@ -10875,6 +10875,7 @@
     char_u		*p;
     static int		recursive = FALSE;
     int			add_pat;
+    int			retval = OK;
 #if defined(FEAT_SEARCHPATH)
     int			did_expand_in_path = FALSE;
 #endif
@@ -10924,7 +10925,11 @@
 
 #ifdef VIM_BACKTICK
 	if (vim_backtick(p))
+	{
 	    add_pat = expand_backtick(&ga, p, flags);
+	    if (add_pat == -1)
+		retval = FAIL;
+	}
 	else
 #endif
 	{
@@ -11013,7 +11018,7 @@
 
     recursive = FALSE;
 
-    return (ga.ga_data != NULL) ? OK : FAIL;
+    return (ga.ga_data != NULL) ? retval : FAIL;
 }
 
 # ifdef VIM_BACKTICK
@@ -11031,7 +11036,7 @@
 /*
  * Expand an item in `backticks` by executing it as a command.
  * Currently only works when pat[] starts and ends with a `.
- * Returns number of file names found.
+ * Returns number of file names found, -1 if an error is encountered.
  */
     static int
 expand_backtick(gap, pat, flags)
@@ -11048,7 +11053,7 @@
     /* Create the command: lop off the backticks. */
     cmd = vim_strnsave(pat + 1, (int)STRLEN(pat) - 2);
     if (cmd == NULL)
-	return 0;
+	return -1;
 
 #ifdef FEAT_EVAL
     if (*cmd == '=')	    /* `={expr}`: Expand expression */
@@ -11059,7 +11064,7 @@
 				(flags & EW_SILENT) ? SHELL_SILENT : 0, NULL);
     vim_free(cmd);
     if (buffer == NULL)
-	return 0;
+	return -1;
 
     cmd = buffer;
     while (*cmd != NUL)
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 619aa58..e99e87e 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -742,6 +742,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    831,
+/**/
     830,
 /**/
     829,