diff --git a/src/unix/pipe.c b/src/unix/pipe.c
index 9e63949d..957e96f8 100644
--- a/src/unix/pipe.c
+++ b/src/unix/pipe.c
@@ -170,16 +170,17 @@ void uv_pipe_connect(uv_connect_t* req,
                     uv_connect_cb cb) {
   struct sockaddr_un saddr;
   int saved_errno;
-  int sockfd;
+  int new_sock;
   int err;
   int r;
 
   saved_errno = errno;
-  sockfd = -1;
+  new_sock = (handle->fd == -1);
   err = -1;
 
-  if ((sockfd = uv__socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) == -1)
-    goto out;
+  if (new_sock)
+    if ((handle->fd = uv__socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) == -1)
+      goto out;
 
   memset(&saddr, 0, sizeof saddr);
   uv_strlcpy(saddr.sun_path, name, sizeof(saddr.sun_path));
@@ -189,19 +190,19 @@ void uv_pipe_connect(uv_connect_t* req,
    * is either there or not.
    */
   do {
-    r = connect(sockfd, (struct sockaddr*)&saddr, sizeof saddr);
+    r = connect(handle->fd, (struct sockaddr*)&saddr, sizeof saddr);
   }
   while (r == -1 && errno == EINTR);
 
-  if (r == -1) {
-    err = errno;
-    close(sockfd);
+  if (r == -1)
     goto out;
-  }
 
-  uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)handle,
-                  sockfd,
-                  UV_STREAM_READABLE | UV_STREAM_WRITABLE);
+  if (new_sock)
+    if (uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)handle,
+                        handle->fd,
+                        UV_STREAM_READABLE | UV_STREAM_WRITABLE))
+      goto out;
+
   uv__io_start(handle->loop, &handle->read_watcher);
   uv__io_start(handle->loop, &handle->write_watcher);
   err = 0;