diff --git a/pym/_emerge/__init__.py b/pym/_emerge/__init__.py
index 65093dd..7b4067a 100644
--- a/pym/_emerge/__init__.py
+++ b/pym/_emerge/__init__.py
@@ -2142,7 +2142,6 @@
 
 		if isinstance(retval, int):
 			# spawn failed
-			os.close(master_fd)
 			for f in files.values():
 				f.close()
 			self.returncode = retval