diff --git a/src/ev_epoll.c b/src/ev_epoll.c
index 0ce68b05e..2c34524a5 100644
--- a/src/ev_epoll.c
+++ b/src/ev_epoll.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ REGPRM1 static int _do_init(struct poller *p)
 	free(epoll_events);
  fail_ee:
 	close(epoll_fd);
-	epoll_fd = 0;
+	epoll_fd = -1;
  fail_fd:
 	p->pref = 0;
 	return 0;
@@ -331,8 +331,10 @@ REGPRM1 static void _do_term(struct poller *p)
 	if (epoll_events)
 		free(epoll_events);
 
-	close(epoll_fd);
-	epoll_fd = 0;
+	if (epoll_fd >= 0) {
+		close(epoll_fd);
+		epoll_fd = -1;
+	}
 
 	chg_ptr = NULL;
 	chg_list = NULL;
@@ -366,7 +368,8 @@ REGPRM1 static int _do_test(struct poller *p)
  */
 REGPRM1 static int _do_fork(struct poller *p)
 {
-	close(epoll_fd);
+	if (epoll_fd >= 0)
+		close(epoll_fd);
 	epoll_fd = epoll_create(global.maxsock + 1);
 	if (epoll_fd < 0)
 		return 0;
@@ -385,6 +388,8 @@ static void _do_register(void)
 
 	if (nbpollers >= MAX_POLLERS)
 		return;
+
+	epoll_fd = -1;
 	p = &pollers[nbpollers++];
 
 	p->name = "epoll";
diff --git a/src/ev_kqueue.c b/src/ev_kqueue.c
index f34cdc3c1..46584b303 100644
--- a/src/ev_kqueue.c
+++ b/src/ev_kqueue.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ REGPRM1 static int _do_init(struct poller *p)
 	free(kev);
  fail_kev:
 	close(kqueue_fd);
-	kqueue_fd = 0;
+	kqueue_fd = -1;
  fail_fd:
 	p->pref = 0;
 	return 0;
@@ -204,8 +204,11 @@ REGPRM1 static void _do_term(struct poller *p)
 		free(fd_evts[DIR_RD]);
 	if (kev)
 		free(kev);
-	close(kqueue_fd);
-	kqueue_fd = 0;
+
+	if (kqueue_fd >= 0) {
+		close(kqueue_fd);
+		kqueue_fd = -1;
+	}
 
 	p->private = NULL;
 	p->pref = 0;
@@ -233,7 +236,8 @@ REGPRM1 static int _do_test(struct poller *p)
  */
 REGPRM1 static int _do_fork(struct poller *p)
 {
-	close(kqueue_fd);
+	if (kqueue_fd >= 0)
+		close(kqueue_fd);
 	kqueue_fd = kqueue();
 	if (kqueue_fd < 0)
 		return 0;
@@ -252,6 +256,8 @@ static void _do_register(void)
 
 	if (nbpollers >= MAX_POLLERS)
 		return;
+
+	kqueue_fd = -1;
 	p = &pollers[nbpollers++];
 
 	p->name = "kqueue";
diff --git a/src/ev_sepoll.c b/src/ev_sepoll.c
index db3542357..417cbcfa8 100644
--- a/src/ev_sepoll.c
+++ b/src/ev_sepoll.c
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ REGPRM1 static int _do_init(struct poller *p)
 	free(epoll_events);
  fail_ee:
 	close(epoll_fd);
-	epoll_fd = 0;
+	epoll_fd = -1;
  fail_fd:
 	p->pref = 0;
 	return 0;
@@ -545,8 +545,10 @@ REGPRM1 static void _do_term(struct poller *p)
 	if (epoll_events)
 		free(epoll_events);
 
-	close(epoll_fd);
-	epoll_fd = 0;
+	if (epoll_fd >= 0) {
+		close(epoll_fd);
+		epoll_fd = -1;
+	}
 
 	fd_list = NULL;
 	spec_list = NULL;
@@ -579,7 +581,8 @@ REGPRM1 static int _do_test(struct poller *p)
  */
 REGPRM1 static int _do_fork(struct poller *p)
 {
-	close(epoll_fd);
+	if (epoll_fd >= 0)
+		close(epoll_fd);
 	epoll_fd = epoll_create(global.maxsock + 1);
 	if (epoll_fd < 0)
 		return 0;
@@ -598,6 +601,8 @@ static void _do_register(void)
 
 	if (nbpollers >= MAX_POLLERS)
 		return;
+
+	epoll_fd = -1;
 	p = &pollers[nbpollers++];
 
 	p->name = "sepoll";