diff --git a/python/pyspark/rdd.py b/python/pyspark/rdd.py
index da9d11f689aef..45575f14fa798 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/rdd.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/rdd.py
@@ -704,12 +704,15 @@ def pipe_objs(out):
                     out.write(s.encode('utf-8'))
                 out.close()
             Thread(target=pipe_objs, args=[pipe.stdin]).start()
-            result = (x.rstrip(b'\n').decode('utf-8') for x in iter(pipe.stdout.readline, b''))
-            pipe.wait()
-            if pipe.returncode:
-                raise Exception("Pipe function `%s' exited "
-                                "with error code %d" % (command, pipe.returncode))
-            return result
+            def check_return_code():
+                pipe.wait()
+                if pipe.returncode:
+                    raise Exception("Pipe function `%s' exited "
+                       "with error code %d" % (command, pipe.returncode))
+                else:
+                    return None
+            return (x.rstrip(b'\n').decode('utf-8') for x in
+                      chain(iter(pipe.stdout.readline, b''), iter(check_return_code, None)))
         return self.mapPartitions(func)
 
     def foreach(self, f):