diff --git a/compositor/compositor-drm.c b/compositor/compositor-drm.c
index aa58a310..545bde58 100644
--- a/compositor/compositor-drm.c
+++ b/compositor/compositor-drm.c
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ init_egl(struct drm_compositor *ec, struct udev_device *device)
 	};
 
 	filename = udev_device_get_devnode(device);
-	fd = open(filename, O_RDWR);
+	fd = open(filename, O_RDWR, O_CLOEXEC);
 	if (fd < 0) {
 		/* Probably permissions error */
 		fprintf(stderr, "couldn't open %s, skipping\n",