diff --git a/file.go b/file.go
index 99cc07fb..57ac3696 100644
--- a/file.go
+++ b/file.go
@@ -115,16 +115,18 @@ func MakeOpenFile(h syscall.Handle) (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
 
 // closeHandle closes the resources associated with a Win32 handle
 func (f *win32File) closeHandle() {
+	f.wgLock.Lock()
 	// Atomically set that we are closing, releasing the resources only once.
 	if !f.closing.swap(true) {
+		f.wgLock.Unlock()
 		// cancel all IO and wait for it to complete
 		cancelIoEx(f.handle, nil)
-		f.wgLock.Lock()
 		f.wg.Wait()
-		f.wgLock.Unlock()
 		// at this point, no new IO can start
 		syscall.Close(f.handle)
 		f.handle = 0
+	} else {
+		f.wgLock.Unlock()
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pipe_test.go b/pipe_test.go
index 4c6208c1..3bc02dae 100644
--- a/pipe_test.go
+++ b/pipe_test.go
@@ -367,11 +367,11 @@ func TestEchoWithMessaging(t *testing.T) {
 		OutputBufferSize: 65536,
 	}
 	l, err := ListenPipe(testPipeName, &c)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	defer l.Close()
+
 	listenerDone := make(chan bool)
 	clientDone := make(chan bool)
 	go func() {
@@ -380,6 +380,8 @@ func TestEchoWithMessaging(t *testing.T) {
 		if e != nil {
 			t.Fatal(e)
 		}
+		defer conn.Close()
+
 		time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond) // make *sure* we don't begin to read before eof signal is sent
 		io.Copy(conn, conn)
 		conn.(CloseWriter).CloseWrite()