diff --git a/src/libmain/shared.cc b/src/libmain/shared.cc
index b6bfea8cb..4404e0195 100644
--- a/src/libmain/shared.cc
+++ b/src/libmain/shared.cc
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ RunPager::RunPager()
     });
 
     pid.setKillSignal(SIGINT);
-
+    stdout = fcntl(STDOUT_FILENO, F_DUPFD_CLOEXEC, 0);
     if (dup2(toPager.writeSide.get(), STDOUT_FILENO) == -1)
         throw SysError("dupping stdout");
 }
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ RunPager::~RunPager()
     try {
         if (pid != -1) {
             std::cout.flush();
-            close(STDOUT_FILENO);
+            dup2(stdout, STDOUT_FILENO);
             pid.wait();
         }
     } catch (...) {
diff --git a/src/libmain/shared.hh b/src/libmain/shared.hh
index 05277d90a..ed012959b 100644
--- a/src/libmain/shared.hh
+++ b/src/libmain/shared.hh
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     Pid pid;
+    int stdout;
 };
 
 extern volatile ::sig_atomic_t blockInt;