diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index 5bbcf057cd4..52157e8db3e 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -118,7 +118,12 @@ fs.readFile = function(path, encoding_) {
     fd = fd_;
 
     fs.fstat(fd, function(er, st) {
-      if (er) return callback(er);
+      if (er) {
+        return fs.close(fd, function() {
+          callback(er);
+        });
+      }
+
       size = st.size;
       if (size === 0) {
         // the kernel lies about many files.