diff --git a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.c b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.c
index b3341a05b..cab862dfd 100644
--- a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.c
+++ b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.c
@@ -100,6 +100,6 @@ int __dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_refresh(void) {
 	return elfcalls()->dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_refresh();
 };
 
-void __dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int* fds) {
-	return elfcalls()->dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(fds);
+void __dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int fd) {
+	return elfcalls()->dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(fd);
 };
diff --git a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.h b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.h
index c2e1508dd..b120cad21 100644
--- a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.h
+++ b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/elfcalls_wrapper.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ void __dserver_close_socket(int socket);
 
 int __dserver_get_process_lifetime_pipe(void);
 int __dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_refresh(void);
-void __dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int* fds);
+void __dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int fd);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/mach/lkm.c b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/mach/lkm.c
index 1323eaeb0..4784a73ad 100644
--- a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/mach/lkm.c
+++ b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/mach/lkm.c
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ void mach_driver_init(const char** applep)
 		guard_entry_options_t options;
 		options.close = _elfcalls->dserver_close_socket;
 		guard_table_add(__dserver_per_thread_socket(), guard_flag_prevent_close | guard_flag_close_on_fork, &options);
+		int lifetime_pipe = __dserver_get_process_lifetime_pipe();
+		if (lifetime_pipe != -1) {
+			options.close = _elfcalls->dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe;
+			guard_table_add(lifetime_pipe, guard_flag_prevent_close | guard_flag_close_on_fork, &options);
+		}
 	}
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/process/fork.c b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/process/fork.c
index 9085ff7cc..188f846ef 100644
--- a/src/kernel/emulation/linux/process/fork.c
+++ b/src/kernel/emulation/linux/process/fork.c
@@ -46,6 +46,13 @@ long sys_fork(void)
 		options.close = __dserver_close_socket;
 		guard_table_add(__dserver_per_thread_socket(), guard_flag_prevent_close | guard_flag_close_on_fork, &options);
 
+		// only guard the lifetime pipe if it's used.
+		if (newReadFd != -1)
+		{
+			options.close = __dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe;
+			guard_table_add(__dserver_get_process_lifetime_pipe(), guard_flag_prevent_close | guard_flag_close_on_fork, &options);
+		}
+
 		int dummy_stack_variable;
 		if (dserver_rpc_checkin(true, &dummy_stack_variable, newReadFd) < 0) {
 			// we can't do ANYTHING if darlingserver fails to acknowledge us
@@ -55,8 +62,7 @@ long sys_fork(void)
 		if (wdfd >= 0)
 			sys_fchdir(wdfd);
 
-		int pipe[2] = { newReadFd, -1 };
-		__dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(pipe);
+		__dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe(newReadFd);
 	}
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.c b/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.c
index a85c77681..f33341658 100644
--- a/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.c
+++ b/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static const void* __dserver_socket_address(void) {
 extern void __mldr_close_rpc_socket(int socket);
 
 extern int __mldr_create_process_lifetime_pipe(int* fds);
-extern void __mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int* fds);
+extern void __mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int fd);
 extern int __dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_fd;
 
 static int __dserver_get_process_lifetime_pipe() {
@@ -73,9 +73,7 @@ static int __dserver_get_process_lifetime_pipe() {
 }
 
 static int __dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_refresh() {
-	// the read end has already been closed.
-	int pipe[2] = { -1, __dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_fd };
-	__mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(pipe);
+	int pipe[2];
 
 	if (__mldr_create_process_lifetime_pipe(pipe) == -1) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create process lifetime pipe: %d (%s)\n", errno, strerror(errno));
diff --git a/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.h b/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.h
index 6991c25d7..7275922bc 100644
--- a/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.h
+++ b/src/startup/mldr/elfcalls/elfcalls.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ struct elf_calls
 	// darlingserver process lifetime pipe info
 	int (*dserver_get_process_lifetime_pipe)(void);
 	int (*dserver_process_lifetime_pipe_refresh)(void);
-	void (*dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe)(int* fds);
+	void (*dserver_close_process_lifetime_pipe)(int fd);
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/startup/mldr/mldr.c b/src/startup/mldr/mldr.c
index 74245bd91..5ac619d5d 100644
--- a/src/startup/mldr/mldr.c
+++ b/src/startup/mldr/mldr.c
@@ -796,12 +796,10 @@ err_out:
 	return -1;
 }
 
-void __mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int* fds) {
-	for (int i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
-		if (fds[i] != -1) {
-			close(fds[i]);
-			socket_bitmap_put(&socket_bitmap, fds[i]);
-		}
+void __mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(int fd) {
+	if (fd != -1) {
+		close(fd);
+		socket_bitmap_put(&socket_bitmap, fd);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -881,8 +879,7 @@ static void setup_space(struct load_results* lr, bool is_64_bit) {
 	}
 
 	// keep our write end while closing the unused read end.
-	lifetime_pipe[1] = -1;
-	__mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(lifetime_pipe);
+	__mldr_close_process_lifetime_pipe(lifetime_pipe[0]);
 
 	if (!lr->root_path) {
 		static char vchroot_buffer[4096];