diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_inet.cc b/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_inet.cc
index a3aeccc82..e65acffdf 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_inet.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_inet.cc
@@ -895,6 +895,8 @@ fhandler_socket_inet::accept4 (struct sockaddr *peer, int *len, int flags)
 		  *len = llen;
 		}
 	    }
+	  else
+	    fd.release ();
 	}
       if (ret == -1)
 	::closesocket (res);
diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_local.cc b/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_local.cc
index 844cb9d11..11f2c209e 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_local.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_socket_local.cc
@@ -1012,6 +1012,8 @@ fhandler_socket_local::accept4 (struct sockaddr *peer, int *len, int flags)
 		  *len = (int) sizeof (un.sun_family);
 		}
 	    }
+	  else
+	    fd.release ();
 	}
       if (ret == -1)
 	::closesocket (res);