diff --git a/ip/ipnetns.c b/ip/ipnetns.c
index c9bc20ae..fa2b6810 100644
--- a/ip/ipnetns.c
+++ b/ip/ipnetns.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ static int netns_exec(int argc, char **argv)
 	name = argv[0];
 	cmd = argv[1];
 	snprintf(net_path, sizeof(net_path), "%s/%s", NETNS_RUN_DIR, name);
-	netns = open(net_path, O_RDONLY);
+	netns = open(net_path, O_RDONLY | O_CLOEXEC);
 	if (netns < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Cannot open network namespace \"%s\": %s\n",
 			name, strerror(errno));
diff --git a/lib/libnetlink.c b/lib/libnetlink.c
index b17e1aae..9e2a7958 100644
--- a/lib/libnetlink.c
+++ b/lib/libnetlink.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ int rtnl_open_byproto(struct rtnl_handle *rth, unsigned subscriptions,
 
 	memset(rth, 0, sizeof(*rth));
 
-	rth->fd = socket(AF_NETLINK, SOCK_RAW, protocol);
+	rth->fd = socket(AF_NETLINK, SOCK_RAW | SOCK_CLOEXEC, protocol);
 	if (rth->fd < 0) {
 		perror("Cannot open netlink socket");
 		return -1;