diff --git a/saslauthd/__init__.py b/saslauthd/__init__.py
--- a/saslauthd/__init__.py
+++ b/saslauthd/__init__.py
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@
                 os.close(1)
                 os.close(2)
 
+                os.open(os.devnull, os.O_RDONLY)
+                os.open(os.devnull, os.O_WRONLY)
+                os.open(os.devnull, os.O_WRONLY)
+
                 os.umask(old_umask)
 
                 self.thread_count += 1