diff --git a/src/ev_epoll.c b/src/ev_epoll.c
index 345b0b2ac..b976868ea 100644
--- a/src/ev_epoll.c
+++ b/src/ev_epoll.c
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ 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)
 	free(fd_evts);
 	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 7e626d112..e16798424 100644
--- a/src/ev_kqueue.c
+++ b/src/ev_kqueue.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ 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;
@@ -203,8 +203,11 @@ REGPRM1 static void _do_term(struct poller *p)
 	free(fd_evts[DIR_WR]);
 	free(fd_evts[DIR_RD]);
 	free(kev);
-	close(kqueue_fd);
-	kqueue_fd = 0;
+
+	if (kqueue_fd >= 0) {
+		close(kqueue_fd);
+		kqueue_fd = -1;
+	}
 
 	p->private = NULL;
 	p->pref = 0;
@@ -232,7 +235,8 @@ 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;
@@ -251,6 +255,8 @@ 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 a093693f3..13e890b62 100644
--- a/src/ev_sepoll.c
+++ b/src/ev_sepoll.c
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ 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;
@@ -607,8 +607,10 @@ REGPRM1 static void _do_term(struct poller *p)
 	free(spec_list);
 	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;
@@ -641,7 +643,8 @@ 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;
@@ -660,6 +663,8 @@ static void _do_register(void)
 
 	if (nbpollers >= MAX_POLLERS)
 		return;
+
+	epoll_fd = -1;
 	p = &pollers[nbpollers++];
 
 	p->name = "sepoll";