diff --git a/quantum/agent/linux/utils.py b/quantum/agent/linux/utils.py
index e8f3b716708..db8d7630db6 100644
--- a/quantum/agent/linux/utils.py
+++ b/quantum/agent/linux/utils.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def execute(cmd, root_helper=None, process_input=None, addl_env=None,
         env.update(addl_env)
     obj = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=False, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
                            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                           preexec_fn=_subprocess_setup,
+                           preexec_fn=_subprocess_setup, close_fds=True,
                            env=env)
 
     _stdout, _stderr = (process_input and
diff --git a/quantum/common/utils.py b/quantum/common/utils.py
index cdd33620474..8483dc83c9e 100644
--- a/quantum/common/utils.py
+++ b/quantum/common/utils.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def execute(cmd, process_input=None, addl_env=None, check_exit_code=True):
         env.update(addl_env)
     obj = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
                            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
-                           preexec_fn=_subprocess_setup,
+                           preexec_fn=_subprocess_setup, close_fds=True,
                            env=env)
     result = None
     if process_input is not None: