diff --git a/src/brain.c b/src/brain.c
index fbb1f206a..88b896c55 100644
--- a/src/brain.c
+++ b/src/brain.c
@@ -3052,6 +3052,8 @@ int brain_server (const char *listen_host, const int listen_port, const char *br
   {
     brain_logging (stderr, 0, "setsockopt: %s\n", strerror (errno));
 
+    close(server_fd);
+
     if (brain_password == NULL) hcfree (auth_password);
 
     return -1;
@@ -3061,6 +3063,8 @@ int brain_server (const char *listen_host, const int listen_port, const char *br
   {
     brain_logging (stderr, 0, "setsockopt: %s\n", strerror (errno));
 
+    close(server_fd);
+
     if (brain_password == NULL) hcfree (auth_password);
 
     return -1;
@@ -3104,6 +3108,8 @@ int brain_server (const char *listen_host, const int listen_port, const char *br
     {
       brain_logging (stderr, 0, "%s: %s\n", listen_host, gai_strerror (rc_getaddrinfo));
 
+      close(server_fd);
+
       if (brain_password == NULL) hcfree (auth_password);
 
       return -1;
@@ -3114,6 +3120,8 @@ int brain_server (const char *listen_host, const int listen_port, const char *br
   {
     brain_logging (stderr, 0, "bind: %s\n", strerror (errno));
 
+    close(server_fd);
+
     if (brain_password == NULL) hcfree (auth_password);
 
     return -1;
@@ -3123,6 +3131,8 @@ int brain_server (const char *listen_host, const int listen_port, const char *br
   {
     brain_logging (stderr, 0, "listen: %s\n", strerror (errno));
 
+    close(server_fd);
+
     if (brain_password == NULL) hcfree (auth_password);
 
     return -1;