diff --git a/libvncserver/main.c b/libvncserver/main.c
index c34ae7e..17bef7e 100644
--- a/libvncserver/main.c
+++ b/libvncserver/main.c
@@ -642,7 +642,10 @@ rfbStartOnHoldClient(rfbClientPtr cl)
     cl->onHold = FALSE;
 #ifdef LIBVNCSERVER_HAVE_LIBPTHREAD
     if(cl->screen->backgroundLoop) {
-        pipe(cl->pipe_notify_client_thread);
+        if (pipe(cl->pipe_notify_client_thread) == -1) {
+            cl->pipe_notify_client_thread[0] = -1;
+            cl->pipe_notify_client_thread[1] = -1;
+        }
         fcntl(cl->pipe_notify_client_thread[0], F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
 
         pthread_create(&cl->client_thread, NULL, clientInput, (void *)cl);