diff --git a/api.c b/api.c
index 03ceec34..37725dd0 100644
--- a/api.c
+++ b/api.c
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ int api_init(uev_ctx_t *ctx)
 		.sun_path   = INIT_SOCKET,
 	};
 
-	sd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+	sd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM | SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0);
 	if (-1 == sd) {
 		_pe("Failed starting external API socket");
 		return 1;
diff --git a/plugins/pidfile.c b/plugins/pidfile.c
index 7fdb4f6e..f9db3126 100644
--- a/plugins/pidfile.c
+++ b/plugins/pidfile.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ static plugin_t plugin = {
 
 PLUGIN_INIT(plugin_init)
 {
-	pidfile_ctx.fd = inotify_init();
+	pidfile_ctx.fd = inotify_init1(IN_NONBLOCK | IN_CLOEXEC);
 	if (pidfile_ctx.fd < 0) {
 		_pe("inotify_init()");
 		return;