diff --git a/gdbstub/user.c b/gdbstub/user.c
index 2005f3312b..edeb72efeb 100644
--- a/gdbstub/user.c
+++ b/gdbstub/user.c
@@ -517,6 +517,7 @@ void gdbserver_fork_end(CPUState *cpu, pid_t pid)
         switch (gdbserver_user_state.fork_state) {
         case GDB_FORK_ENABLED:
             if (gdbserver_user_state.running_state) {
+                close(fd);
                 return;
             }
             QEMU_FALLTHROUGH;
@@ -542,7 +543,6 @@ void gdbserver_fork_end(CPUState *cpu, pid_t pid)
                 gdbserver_user_state.fork_state = GDB_FORK_ACTIVE;
                 break;
             case GDB_FORK_ENABLE:
-                close(fd);
                 gdbserver_user_state.fork_state = GDB_FORK_ENABLED;
                 break;
             case GDB_FORK_DISABLE:
@@ -557,7 +557,6 @@ void gdbserver_fork_end(CPUState *cpu, pid_t pid)
             if (write(fd, &b, 1) != 1) {
                 goto fail;
             }
-            close(fd);
             gdbserver_user_state.fork_state = GDB_FORK_ENABLED;
             break;
         case GDB_FORK_DISABLING: