diff --git a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
index 0b72648a5a..f468436103 100644
--- a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
+++ b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
@@ -1564,6 +1564,9 @@ vhost_user_set_req_fd(struct virtio_net **pdev, struct VhostUserMsg *msg,
 		return RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR;
 	}
 
+	if (dev->slave_req_fd >= 0)
+		close(dev->slave_req_fd);
+
 	dev->slave_req_fd = fd;
 
 	return RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_OK;