diff --git a/io/io_close.c b/io/io_close.c
index f1dac4e..f728cd6 100644
--- a/io/io_close.c
+++ b/io/io_close.c
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 extern void io_dontwantread_really(int64 d,io_entry* e);
 extern void io_dontwantwrite_really(int64 d,io_entry* e);
 
+long first_deferred=-1;
+
 void io_close(int64 d) {
   io_entry* e;
   if ((e=iarray_get(&io_fds,d))) {
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ void io_close(int64 d) {
 #endif
       e->mmapped=0;
     }
+#if 1
     if (e->next_read!=-1 || e->next_write!=-1) {
       /* There are still outstanding events. If we close the fd, between
        * now and when those events are handled, another accept() or
@@ -35,10 +38,15 @@ void io_close(int64 d) {
        * So we don't actually close the fd now, but we will mark it as
        * closed. */
 //      fprintf(stderr,"io_close(%d) DEFERRED!\n",d);
-      e->closed=1;
+      if (e->closed==0) {
+	e->closed=1;
+	e->next_defer=first_deferred;
+	first_deferred=d;
+      }
       return;
     } else
       e->closed=0;
+#endif
   }
 //  fprintf(stderr,"io_close(%d)\n",d);
   close(d);
diff --git a/io/io_waituntil2.c b/io/io_waituntil2.c
index da38237..3c39f97 100644
--- a/io/io_waituntil2.c
+++ b/io/io_waituntil2.c
@@ -119,6 +119,19 @@ int64 io_waituntil2(int64 milliseconds) {
   struct pollfd* p;
 #endif
   long i,j,r;
+  if (first_deferred!=-1) {
+    while (first_deferred!=-1) {
+      io_entry* e=iarray_get(&io_fds,first_deferred);
+      if (e) {
+	if (e->closed) {
+	  e->closed=0;
+	  close(first_deferred);
+	}
+	first_deferred=e->next_defer;
+      } else
+	first_deferred=-1;	// can't happen
+    }
+  }
   if (!io_wanted_fds) return 0;
 #ifdef HAVE_EPOLL
   if (io_waitmode==EPOLL) {