diff --git a/ldpd/lde.c b/ldpd/lde.c
index 648eefa653..a7f933bbe5 100644
--- a/ldpd/lde.c
+++ b/ldpd/lde.c
@@ -185,11 +185,14 @@ lde_shutdown(void)
 	if (iev_ldpe) {
 		msgbuf_clear(&iev_ldpe->ibuf.w);
 		close(iev_ldpe->ibuf.fd);
+		iev_ldpe->ibuf.fd = -1;
 	}
 	msgbuf_clear(&iev_main->ibuf.w);
 	close(iev_main->ibuf.fd);
+	iev_main->ibuf.fd = -1;
 	msgbuf_clear(&iev_main_sync->ibuf.w);
 	close(iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd);
+	iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd = -1;
 
 	lde_gc_stop_timer();
 	lde_nbr_clear();
@@ -210,12 +213,16 @@ lde_shutdown(void)
 int
 lde_imsg_compose_parent(int type, pid_t pid, void *data, uint16_t datalen)
 {
+	if (iev_main->ibuf.fd == -1)
+		return (0);
 	return (imsg_compose_event(iev_main, type, 0, pid, -1, data, datalen));
 }
 
 void
 lde_imsg_compose_parent_sync(int type, pid_t pid, void *data, uint16_t datalen)
 {
+	if (iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd == -1)
+		return;
 	imsg_compose_event(iev_main_sync, type, 0, pid, -1, data, datalen);
 	imsg_flush(&iev_main_sync->ibuf);
 }
@@ -224,6 +231,8 @@ int
 lde_imsg_compose_ldpe(int type, uint32_t peerid, pid_t pid, void *data,
     uint16_t datalen)
 {
+	if (iev_ldpe->ibuf.fd == -1)
+		return (0);
 	return (imsg_compose_event(iev_ldpe, type, peerid, pid,
 	     -1, data, datalen));
 }
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpe.c b/ldpd/ldpe.c
index 3c8f8135e9..9d00bcd2b6 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpe.c
+++ b/ldpd/ldpe.c
@@ -190,15 +190,16 @@ ldpe_shutdown(void)
 
 	/* close pipes */
 	if (iev_lde) {
-		msgbuf_write(&iev_lde->ibuf.w);
 		msgbuf_clear(&iev_lde->ibuf.w);
 		close(iev_lde->ibuf.fd);
+		iev_lde->ibuf.fd = -1;
 	}
-	msgbuf_write(&iev_main->ibuf.w);
 	msgbuf_clear(&iev_main->ibuf.w);
 	close(iev_main->ibuf.fd);
+	iev_main->ibuf.fd = -1;
 	msgbuf_clear(&iev_main_sync->ibuf.w);
 	close(iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd);
+	iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd = -1;
 
 	control_cleanup(ctl_sock_path);
 	config_clear(leconf);
@@ -236,12 +237,16 @@ ldpe_shutdown(void)
 int
 ldpe_imsg_compose_parent(int type, pid_t pid, void *data, uint16_t datalen)
 {
+	if (iev_main->ibuf.fd == -1)
+		return (0);
 	return (imsg_compose_event(iev_main, type, 0, pid, -1, data, datalen));
 }
 
 void
 ldpe_imsg_compose_parent_sync(int type, pid_t pid, void *data, uint16_t datalen)
 {
+	if (iev_main_sync->ibuf.fd == -1)
+		return;
 	imsg_compose_event(iev_main_sync, type, 0, pid, -1, data, datalen);
 	imsg_flush(&iev_main_sync->ibuf);
 }
@@ -250,6 +255,8 @@ int
 ldpe_imsg_compose_lde(int type, uint32_t peerid, pid_t pid, void *data,
     uint16_t datalen)
 {
+	if (iev_lde->ibuf.fd == -1)
+		return (0);
 	return (imsg_compose_event(iev_lde, type, peerid, pid, -1,
 	    data, datalen));
 }