diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
index 35b9ca01d2..823c395273 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
@@ -2848,6 +2848,7 @@ func captureHostObj(h *Hostobj) {
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("capturing host obj: open failed on %s: %v", h.pn, err)
 		}
+		defer inf.Close()
 		res := make([]byte, h.length)
 		if n, err := inf.ReadAt(res, h.off); err != nil || n != int(h.length) {
 			log.Fatalf("capturing host obj: readat failed on %s: %v", h.pn, err)