diff --git a/iscsi-scst/usr/event.c b/iscsi-scst/usr/event.c
index 719c7e2a6..2dbf387bb 100644
--- a/iscsi-scst/usr/event.c
+++ b/iscsi-scst/usr/event.c
@@ -1188,6 +1188,7 @@ int nl_open(void)
 	res = nl_write(nl_fd, NULL, 0);
 	if (res < 0) {
 		log_error("%s %d\n", __FUNCTION__, res);
+		close(nl_fd);
 		return res;
 	}