diff --git a/tools/gpgtar-create.c b/tools/gpgtar-create.c
index 3a7687d9f..f52295b5c 100644
--- a/tools/gpgtar-create.c
+++ b/tools/gpgtar-create.c
@@ -1141,6 +1141,7 @@ gpgtar_create (char **inpattern, const char *files_from, int null_names,
     {
       strlist_t arg;
       ccparray_t ccp;
+      int except[2] = { -1, -1 };
       const char **argv;
 
       /* '--encrypt' may be combined with '--symmetric', but 'encrypt'
@@ -1164,6 +1165,7 @@ gpgtar_create (char **inpattern, const char *files_from, int null_names,
 
           snprintf (tmpbuf, sizeof tmpbuf, "--status-fd=%d", opt.status_fd);
           ccparray_put (&ccp, tmpbuf);
+          except[0] = opt.status_fd;
         }
 
       ccparray_put (&ccp, "--output");
@@ -1195,7 +1197,8 @@ gpgtar_create (char **inpattern, const char *files_from, int null_names,
           goto leave;
         }
 
-      err = gnupg_spawn_process (opt.gpg_program, argv, NULL,
+      err = gnupg_spawn_process (opt.gpg_program, argv,
+                                 except[0] == -1? NULL : except,
                                  (GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDOUT
                                   | GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDERR),
                                  &outstream, NULL, NULL, &pid);
diff --git a/tools/gpgtar-extract.c b/tools/gpgtar-extract.c
index f96887f40..bc2e672de 100644
--- a/tools/gpgtar-extract.c
+++ b/tools/gpgtar-extract.c
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ gpgtar_extract (const char *filename, int decrypt)
     {
       strlist_t arg;
       ccparray_t ccp;
+      int except[2] = { -1, -1 };
       const char **argv;
 
       ccparray_init (&ccp, 0);
@@ -382,6 +383,7 @@ gpgtar_extract (const char *filename, int decrypt)
 
           snprintf (tmpbuf, sizeof tmpbuf, "--status-fd=%d", opt.status_fd);
           ccparray_put (&ccp, tmpbuf);
+          except[0] = opt.status_fd;
         }
       if (opt.with_log)
         {
@@ -408,7 +410,8 @@ gpgtar_extract (const char *filename, int decrypt)
           goto leave;
         }
 
-      err = gnupg_spawn_process (opt.gpg_program, argv, NULL,
+      err = gnupg_spawn_process (opt.gpg_program, argv,
+                                 except[0] == -1? NULL : except,
                                  ((filename? 0 : GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDIN)
                                   | GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDERR),
                                  NULL, &stream, NULL, &pid);
diff --git a/tools/gpgtar-list.c b/tools/gpgtar-list.c
index a536b05f2..c5bf25825 100644
--- a/tools/gpgtar-list.c
+++ b/tools/gpgtar-list.c
@@ -468,6 +468,7 @@ gpgtar_list (const char *filename, int decrypt)
     {
       strlist_t arg;
       ccparray_t ccp;
+      int except[2] = { -1, -1 };
       const char **argv;
 
       ccparray_init (&ccp, 0);
@@ -481,6 +482,7 @@ gpgtar_list (const char *filename, int decrypt)
 
           snprintf (tmpbuf, sizeof tmpbuf, "--status-fd=%d", opt.status_fd);
           ccparray_put (&ccp, tmpbuf);
+          except[0] = opt.status_fd;
         }
       ccparray_put (&ccp, "--output");
       ccparray_put (&ccp, "-");
@@ -501,7 +503,8 @@ gpgtar_list (const char *filename, int decrypt)
           goto leave;
         }
 
-      err = gnupg_spawn_process (opt.gpg_program, argv, NULL,
+      err = gnupg_spawn_process (opt.gpg_program, argv,
+                                 except[0] == -1? NULL : except,
                                  ((filename? 0 : GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDIN)
                                   | GNUPG_SPAWN_KEEP_STDERR),
                                  NULL, &stream, NULL, &pid);