diff --git a/libpod/oci_conmon_exec_linux.go b/libpod/oci_conmon_exec_linux.go
index 29c6001090..04deaac830 100644
--- a/libpod/oci_conmon_exec_linux.go
+++ b/libpod/oci_conmon_exec_linux.go
@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@ func (r *ConmonOCIRuntime) startExec(c *Container, sessionID string, options *Ex
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+	defer processFile.Close()
 
 	args := r.sharedConmonArgs(c, sessionID, c.execBundlePath(sessionID), c.execPidPath(sessionID), c.execLogPath(sessionID), c.execExitFileDir(sessionID), ociLog, define.NoLogging, "")