diff --git a/libipm/libipm.c b/libipm/libipm.c
index 953d9893..70aed3d8 100644
--- a/libipm/libipm.c
+++ b/libipm/libipm.c
@@ -32,6 +32,23 @@
 
 const char *libipm_valid_type_chars = "ybnqiuxtsdhogB";
 
+/*****************************************************************************/
+void
+libipm_msg_in_close_file_descriptors(struct trans *self)
+{
+    struct libipm_priv *priv = (struct libipm_priv *)self->extra_data;
+    if (priv != NULL)
+    {
+        unsigned int i;
+        for (i = priv->in_fd_index ; i < priv->in_fd_count; ++i)
+        {
+            g_file_close(priv->in_fds[i]);
+        }
+        priv->in_fd_count = 0;
+        priv->in_fd_index = 0;
+    }
+}
+
 /**************************************************************************//**
  * Send function for a struct trans initialised with libipm_init_trans()
  *
@@ -60,6 +77,52 @@ libipm_trans_send_proc(struct trans *self, const char *data, int len)
     return rv;
 }
 
+/**************************************************************************//**
+ * Receive function for a struct trans initialised with libipm_init_trans()
+ *
+ * @param trans Transport to receive on
+ * @param data pointer to receive data buffer
+ * @param len Length of data to read
+ * @return As for read(2)
+ */
+static int
+libipm_trans_recv_proc(struct trans *self, char *data, int len)
+{
+    int rv;
+    struct libipm_priv *priv = (struct libipm_priv *)self->extra_data;
+    if (priv != NULL && data == self->in_s->data)
+    {
+        /* We're receiving the message header */
+        unsigned int fdcount;
+
+        /* Check there are no live file descriptors in the input
+         * buffer from a previous message. This shouldn't happen, but
+         * if by some chance it does, we could leak file descriptors */
+        if (priv->in_fd_count > 0)
+        {
+            LOG(LOG_LEVEL_WARNING, "Unconsumed file descriptors detected");
+            libipm_msg_in_close_file_descriptors(self);
+        }
+        rv = g_sck_recv_fd_set(self->sck, data, len,
+                               priv->in_fds, MAX_FD_PER_MSG,
+                               &fdcount);
+        if (fdcount > MAX_FD_PER_MSG)
+        {
+            LOG(LOG_LEVEL_WARNING,
+                "%d file descriptors were discarded on recvmsg()",
+                fdcount - MAX_FD_PER_MSG);
+            fdcount = MAX_FD_PER_MSG;
+        }
+        priv->in_fd_count = fdcount;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        rv = g_sck_recv(self->sck, data, len, 0);
+    }
+
+    return rv;
+}
+
 
 /**************************************************************************//**
  * Destructor for a struct trans initialised with libipm_init_trans()
@@ -71,6 +134,7 @@ libipm_trans_destructor(struct trans *trans)
 {
     struct libipm_priv *priv = (struct libipm_priv *)trans->extra_data;
 
+    libipm_msg_in_close_file_descriptors(trans);
     if (priv != NULL)
     {
         if ((priv->flags & LIBIPM_E_MSG_IN_ERASE_AFTER_USE) != 0 &&
@@ -113,6 +177,7 @@ libipm_init_trans(struct trans *trans,
         priv->msgno_to_str = msgno_to_str;
 
         trans->trans_send = libipm_trans_send_proc;
+        trans->trans_recv = libipm_trans_recv_proc;
         trans->extra_data = priv;
         trans->extra_destructor = libipm_trans_destructor;
 
diff --git a/libipm/libipm.h b/libipm/libipm.h
index 8c3fbdd7..6f9ace7e 100644
--- a/libipm/libipm.h
+++ b/libipm/libipm.h
@@ -300,8 +300,8 @@ libipm_msg_in_peek_type(struct trans *trans);
  *   x  | int64_t *  | Signed (two's complement) 64-bit integer
  *   t  | uint64_t * | Unsigned 64-bit integer
  *   s  | char **    | NULL-terminated string
+ *   h  | int *      | File descriptor
  *   d  |   -        | (reserved)
- *   h  |   -        | (reserved)
  *   o  |   -        | (reserved)
  *   g  |   -        | (reserved)
  *
@@ -315,6 +315,9 @@ libipm_msg_in_peek_type(struct trans *trans);
  * returned. This pointer will only be valid until the next call to
  * libipm_msg_in_reset()
  *
+ * The 'h' type can only be used where the underlying transport is a
+ * UNIX domain socket.
+ *
  * For the 'B' type, pass in the address of an initialised descriptor
  * containing the address and size of the object to copy the data
  * to. The size in the descriptor must match the size of the object
@@ -330,6 +333,9 @@ libipm_msg_in_parse(struct trans *trans, const char *format, ...);
  * If the LIBIPM_E_MSG_IN_ERASE_AFTER_USE flag is set for the transport,
  * the entire buffer is erased, and the flag is cleared
  *
+ * Any file descriptors received from the other end but not parsed
+ * by the application are closed.
+ *
  * @param trans libipm transport
  */
 void
diff --git a/libipm/libipm_private.h b/libipm/libipm_private.h
index bb8c8ef3..d82c00c4 100644
--- a/libipm/libipm_private.h
+++ b/libipm/libipm_private.h
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ struct libipm_priv
     int out_fds[MAX_FD_PER_MSG];
     unsigned short in_msgno;
     unsigned short in_param_count;
+    /** Pointer to next fd to be consumed by the app */
+    unsigned short in_fd_index;
+    /** Number of fds in the incoming message */
+    unsigned short in_fd_count;
+    int in_fds[MAX_FD_PER_MSG];
 };
 
 /**
@@ -71,4 +76,15 @@ struct libipm_priv
  */
 extern const char *libipm_valid_type_chars;
 
+/**
+ * Close input file descriptors for an input message
+ *
+ * If file descriptors are read from the other end, but not passed to the
+ * application, they must be closed to prevent file descriptor leaks
+ *
+ * @param trans Transport to close file descriptors for
+ */
+void
+libipm_msg_in_close_file_descriptors(struct trans *self);
+
 #endif /* LIBIPM__PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/libipm/libipm_recv.c b/libipm/libipm_recv.c
index 4f907a03..5842a1e0 100644
--- a/libipm/libipm_recv.c
+++ b/libipm/libipm_recv.c
@@ -460,6 +460,36 @@ extract_char_ptr_type(char c, struct trans *trans, va_list *argptr)
     return rv;
 }
 
+
+/**************************************************************************//**
+ * Extract a file descriptor from the input stream
+ *
+ * @param c Type letter which triggered the call
+ * @param trans libipm transport
+ * @param argptr argptr to pointer to receive the value
+ * @return != 0 for error
+ */
+static enum libipm_status
+extract_fd_type(char c, struct trans *trans, va_list *argptr)
+{
+    enum libipm_status rv = E_LI_SUCCESS;
+    struct libipm_priv *priv = (struct libipm_priv *)trans->extra_data;
+
+    /* File descriptor available? */
+    if (priv->in_fd_index >= priv->in_fd_count)
+    {
+        log_parse_error(trans, "No file descriptors available");
+        rv = E_LI_TOO_MANY_FDS;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        int *tmp = va_arg(*argptr, int *);
+
+        *tmp = priv->in_fds[priv->in_fd_index++];
+    }
+    return rv;
+}
+
 /**************************************************************************//**
  * Extract a fixed size block from the input stream
  *
@@ -588,6 +618,10 @@ libipm_msg_in_parsev(struct trans *trans, const char *format, va_list *argptr)
                     rv = extract_char_ptr_type(c, trans, argptr);
                     break;
 
+                case 'h':
+                    rv = extract_fd_type(c, trans, argptr);
+                    break;
+
                 case 'B':
                     rv = extract_fsb_type(c, trans, argptr);
                     break;
@@ -650,6 +684,7 @@ libipm_msg_in_reset(struct trans *trans)
         }
         priv->in_msgno = 0;
         priv->in_param_count = 0;
+        libipm_msg_in_close_file_descriptors(trans);
     }
 
     trans->extra_flags = 0;