diff --git a/include/pathrs.h b/include/pathrs.h
index fd2812c..26278ed 100644
--- a/include/pathrs.h
+++ b/include/pathrs.h
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ pathrs_root_t *pathrs_open(const char *path);
  * It should be noted that the use of O_CREAT *is not* supported (and will
  * result in an error). Handles only refer to *existing* files. Instead you
  * need to use inroot_creat().
+ * In addition, O_NOCTTY is automatically set when opening the path. If you
+ * want to use the path as a controlling terminal, you will have to do
+ * ioctl(fd, TIOCSCTTY, 0) yourself.
  */
 int pathrs_reopen(const pathrs_handle_t *handle, int flags);
 
diff --git a/src/ffi/cabi.rs b/src/ffi/cabi.rs
index a8e9e86..9b0adce 100644
--- a/src/ffi/cabi.rs
+++ b/src/ffi/cabi.rs
@@ -164,6 +164,10 @@ pub extern "C" fn pathrs_rfree(root: Option<&mut CRoot>) {
 /// It should be noted that the use of O_CREAT *is not* supported (and will
 /// result in an error). Handles only refer to *existing* files. Instead you
 /// need to use inroot_creat().
+///
+/// In addition, O_NOCTTY is automatically set when opening the path. If you
+/// want to use the path as a controlling terminal, you will have to do
+/// ioctl(fd, TIOCSCTTY, 0) yourself.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub extern "C" fn pathrs_reopen(handle: &CHandle, flags: c_int) -> RawFd {
     let flags = OpenFlags(flags);
diff --git a/src/handle.rs b/src/handle.rs
index a77c152..31fdbe7 100644
--- a/src/handle.rs
+++ b/src/handle.rs
@@ -106,6 +106,15 @@ impl Handle {
     /// and writing. This does not consume the original handle (allowing for it
     /// to be used many times).
     ///
+    /// The handle will be opened with `O_NOCTTY` and `O_CLOEXEC` set,
+    /// regardless of whether those flags are present in the `flags` argument.
+    /// You can correct these yourself if these defaults are not ideal for you:
+    ///
+    /// 1. `fcntl(fd, F_SETFD, 0)` will let you unset `O_CLOEXEC`.
+    /// 2. `ioctl(fd, TIOCSCTTY, 0)` will set the fd as the controlling
+    ///    terminal (if you don't have one already, and the fd references a
+    ///    TTY).
+    ///
     /// [`File`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/std/fs/struct.File.html
     /// [`Root::create`]: struct.Root.html#method.create
     pub fn reopen(&self, flags: OpenFlags) -> Result<File, FailureError> {
diff --git a/src/syscalls.rs b/src/syscalls.rs
index d552ccd..4e383af 100644
--- a/src/syscalls.rs
+++ b/src/syscalls.rs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ pub fn fcntl_unset_cloexec(fd: RawFd) -> Result<(), FailureError> {
     }
 }
 
-/// Wrapper for `openat(2)` which auto-sets `O_CLOEXEC`.
+/// Wrapper for `openat(2)` which auto-sets `O_CLOEXEC | O_NOCTTY`.
 ///
 /// This is needed because Rust doesn't provide a way to access the dirfd
 /// argument of `openat(2)`. We need the dirfd argument, so we need a wrapper.
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ pub fn openat_follow<P: AsRef<Path>>(
         libc::openat(
             dirfd,
             path.to_c_string().as_ptr(),
-            libc::O_CLOEXEC | flags,
+            libc::O_CLOEXEC | libc::O_NOCTTY | flags,
             mode,
         )
     };
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ pub fn openat_follow<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     }
 }
 
-/// Wrapper for `openat(2)` which auto-sets `O_CLOEXEC | O_NOFOLLOW`.
+/// Wrapper for `openat(2)` which auto-sets `O_CLOEXEC | O_NOCTTY | O_NOFOLLOW`.
 ///
 /// This is needed because Rust doesn't provide a way to access the dirfd
 /// argument of `openat(2)`. We need the dirfd argument, so we need a wrapper.