diff -r 51ac5f06dd04 Lib/webbrowser.py
--- a/Lib/webbrowser.py	Tue Jul 24 03:45:39 2012 -0700
+++ b/Lib/webbrowser.py	Wed Jul 25 14:53:22 2012 +0300
@@ -228,28 +228,32 @@
         else:
             # for TTY browsers, we need stdin/out
             inout = None
-        p = subprocess.Popen(cmdline, close_fds=True, stdin=inout,
-                             stdout=(self.redirect_stdout and inout or None),
-                             stderr=inout, start_new_session=True)
-        if remote:
-            # wait five seconds. If the subprocess is not finished, the
-            # remote invocation has (hopefully) started a new instance.
-            time.sleep(1)
-            rc = p.poll()
-            if rc is None:
-                time.sleep(4)
+        try:
+            p = subprocess.Popen(cmdline, close_fds=True, stdin=inout,
+                                 stdout=(self.redirect_stdout and inout or None),
+                                 stderr=inout, start_new_session=True)
+            if remote:
+                # wait five seconds. If the subprocess is not finished, the
+                # remote invocation has (hopefully) started a new instance.
+                time.sleep(1)
                 rc = p.poll()
                 if rc is None:
+                    time.sleep(4)
+                    rc = p.poll()
+                    if rc is None:
+                        return True
+                # if remote call failed, open() will try direct invocation
+                return not rc
+            elif self.background:
+                if p.poll() is None:
                     return True
-            # if remote call failed, open() will try direct invocation
-            return not rc
-        elif self.background:
-            if p.poll() is None:
-                return True
+                else:
+                    return False
             else:
-                return False
-        else:
-            return not p.wait()
+                return not p.wait()
+        finally:
+            if inout is not None:
+                inout.close()
 
     def open(self, url, new=0, autoraise=True):
         if new == 0: