diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c b/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c
index 66f04a4846a5..43fdbbfe41bb 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/prog.c
@@ -363,7 +363,9 @@ static int do_show(int argc, char **argv)
 		if (fd < 0)
 			return -1;
 
-		return show_prog(fd);
+		err = show_prog(fd);
+		close(fd);
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	if (argc)