diff --git a/src/util/util.c b/src/util/util.c
index d6fa81b4af..197c57126c 100644
--- a/src/util/util.c
+++ b/src/util/util.c
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ __virExec(const char *const*argv,
             i != null &&
             i != childout &&
             i != childerr &&
-            (!keepfd || (i < FD_SETSIZE && !FD_ISSET(i, keepfd)))) {
+            (!keepfd || i >= FD_SETSIZE || !FD_ISSET(i, keepfd))) {
             tmpfd = i;
             VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(tmpfd);
         }