diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_console.cc b/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_console.cc
index 5625b7be2..933614228 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_console.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/fhandler_console.cc
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ fhandler_console::close ()
   if (con_ra.rabuf)
     free (con_ra.rabuf);
 
-  if (!have_execed)
+  if (!have_execed && !invisible_console)
     free_console ();
   return 0;
 }