diff --git a/util/event_notifier-posix.c b/util/event_notifier-posix.c
index 73c4046b5871..00d93204f988 100644
--- a/util/event_notifier-posix.c
+++ b/util/event_notifier-posix.c
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ void event_notifier_cleanup(EventNotifier *e)
 {
     if (e->rfd != e->wfd) {
         close(e->rfd);
-        e->rfd = -1;
     }
+    e->rfd = -1;
     close(e->wfd);
     e->wfd = -1;
 }