diff --git a/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c b/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
index d095b15a5864..4254f9b4d7c5 100644
--- a/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
+++ b/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
@@ -5455,17 +5455,17 @@ static int
 zpool_do_events_next(ev_opts_t *opts)
 {
 	nvlist_t *nvl;
-	int cleanup_fd, ret, dropped;
+	int zevent_fd, ret, dropped;
 
-	cleanup_fd = open(ZFS_DEV, O_RDWR);
-	VERIFY(cleanup_fd >= 0);
+	zevent_fd = open(ZFS_DEV, O_RDWR);
+	VERIFY(zevent_fd >= 0);
 
 	if (!opts->scripted)
 		(void) printf(gettext("%-30s %s\n"), "TIME", "CLASS");
 
 	while (1) {
 		ret = zpool_events_next(g_zfs, &nvl, &dropped,
-		    !!opts->follow, cleanup_fd);
+		    !!opts->follow, zevent_fd);
 		if (ret || nvl == NULL)
 			break;
 
@@ -5483,7 +5483,7 @@ zpool_do_events_next(ev_opts_t *opts)
 		nvlist_free(nvl);
 	}
 
-	VERIFY(0 == close(cleanup_fd));
+	VERIFY(0 == close(zevent_fd));
 
 	return (ret);
 }
diff --git a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c
index 1b8f3b63a82a..2054385b8d35 100644
--- a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c
+++ b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c
@@ -3783,25 +3783,25 @@ zpool_get_history(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t **nvhisp)
 }
 
 /*
- * Retrieve the next event.  If there is a new event available 'nvp' will
- * contain a newly allocated nvlist and 'dropped' will be set to the number
- * of missed events since the last call to this function.  When 'nvp' is
- * set to NULL it indicates no new events are available.  In either case
- * the function returns 0 and it is up to the caller to free 'nvp'.  In
- * the case of a fatal error the function will return a non-zero value.
- * When the function is called in blocking mode it will not return until
- * a new event is available.
+ * Retrieve the next event given the passed 'zevent_fd' file descriptor.
+ * If there is a new event available 'nvp' will contain a newly allocated
+ * nvlist and 'dropped' will be set to the number of missed events since
+ * the last call to this function.  When 'nvp' is set to NULL it indicates
+ * no new events are available.  In either case the function returns 0 and
+ * it is up to the caller to free 'nvp'.  In the case of a fatal error the
+ * function will return a non-zero value.  When the function is called in
+ * blocking mode it will not return until a new event is available.
  */
 int
 zpool_events_next(libzfs_handle_t *hdl, nvlist_t **nvp,
-    int *dropped, int block, int cleanup_fd)
+    int *dropped, int block, int zevent_fd)
 {
 	zfs_cmd_t zc = {"\0"};
 	int error = 0;
 
 	*nvp = NULL;
 	*dropped = 0;
-	zc.zc_cleanup_fd = cleanup_fd;
+	zc.zc_cleanup_fd = zevent_fd;
 
 	if (!block)
 		zc.zc_guid = ZEVENT_NONBLOCK;
diff --git a/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c b/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
index cd47790166f5..0dfda1abf77c 100644
--- a/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
+++ b/module/zfs/zfs_ioctl.c
@@ -4860,11 +4860,11 @@ zfs_ioc_release(const char *pool, nvlist_t *holds, nvlist_t *errlist)
 /*
  * inputs:
  * zc_guid		flags (ZEVENT_NONBLOCK)
+ * zc_cleanup_fd	zevent file descriptor
  *
  * outputs:
  * zc_nvlist_dst	next nvlist event
  * zc_cookie		dropped events since last get
- * zc_cleanup_fd	cleanup-on-exit file descriptor
  */
 static int
 zfs_ioc_events_next(zfs_cmd_t *zc)