diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 1b7d5dac76..00caf659c2 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -1171,7 +1171,6 @@ typedef struct {
     int connected;
     guint timer_tag;
     guint open_tag;
-    int slave_fd;
 } PtyCharDriver;
 
 static void pty_chr_update_read_handler_locked(CharDriverState *chr);
@@ -1348,7 +1347,6 @@ static void pty_chr_close(struct CharDriverState *chr)
 
     qemu_mutex_lock(&chr->chr_write_lock);
     pty_chr_state(chr, 0);
-    close(s->slave_fd);
     object_unref(OBJECT(s->ioc));
     if (s->timer_tag) {
         g_source_remove(s->timer_tag);
@@ -1376,6 +1374,7 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_pty(const char *id,
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    close(slave_fd);
     qemu_set_nonblock(master_fd);
 
     chr = qemu_chr_alloc(common, errp);
@@ -1400,7 +1399,6 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_pty(const char *id,
     chr->explicit_be_open = true;
 
     s->ioc = QIO_CHANNEL(qio_channel_file_new_fd(master_fd));
-    s->slave_fd = slave_fd;
     s->timer_tag = 0;
 
     return chr;