diff --git a/common/exechelp-w32.c b/common/exechelp-w32.c
index 8057cc3b4..f63341e7c 100644
--- a/common/exechelp-w32.c
+++ b/common/exechelp-w32.c
@@ -1213,6 +1213,7 @@ gnupg_process_release (gnupg_process_t process)
       gnupg_process_wait (process, 1);
     }
 
+  CloseHandle (process->hProcess);
   xfree (process);
 }