diff --git a/lib/vfs/direntry.c b/lib/vfs/direntry.c
index f1eb3f7c3..904e79e4d 100644
--- a/lib/vfs/direntry.c
+++ b/lib/vfs/direntry.c
@@ -682,8 +682,12 @@ vfs_s_close (void *fh)
         }
         vfs_s_invalidate (me, super);
     }
+
     if (file->handle != -1)
+    {
         close (file->handle);
+        file->handle = -1;
+    }
 
     vfs_s_free_inode (me, file->ino);
     vfs_s_free_fh (sub, fh);
diff --git a/src/vfs/cpio/cpio.c b/src/vfs/cpio/cpio.c
index 99534ae53..3b4f3a9af 100644
--- a/src/vfs/cpio/cpio.c
+++ b/src/vfs/cpio/cpio.c
@@ -213,8 +213,10 @@ cpio_free_archive (struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *super)
     (void) me;
 
     if (arch->fd != -1)
+    {
         mc_close (arch->fd);
-    arch->fd = -1;
+        arch->fd = -1;
+    }
     g_slist_free_full (arch->deferred, g_free);
     arch->deferred = NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/vfs/extfs/extfs.c b/src/vfs/extfs/extfs.c
index 4499fe673..4acf58a63 100644
--- a/src/vfs/extfs/extfs.c
+++ b/src/vfs/extfs/extfs.c
@@ -978,6 +978,7 @@ extfs_close (void *fh)
     int errno_code = 0;
 
     close (file->handle);
+    file->handle = -1;
 
     /* Commit the file if it has changed */
     if (file->changed)
diff --git a/src/vfs/tar/tar.c b/src/vfs/tar/tar.c
index e04320347..cc6949eaf 100644
--- a/src/vfs/tar/tar.c
+++ b/src/vfs/tar/tar.c
@@ -327,7 +327,10 @@ tar_free_archive (struct vfs_class *me, struct vfs_s_super *archive)
     (void) me;
 
     if (arch->fd != -1)
+    {
         mc_close (arch->fd);
+        arch->fd = -1;
+    }
 }
 
 /* --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */