diff --git a/lib/util/__tests__/utimes.test.js b/lib/util/__tests__/utimes.test.js
index 02c65d1f..eaab1adb 100644
--- a/lib/util/__tests__/utimes.test.js
+++ b/lib/util/__tests__/utimes.test.js
@@ -97,4 +97,26 @@ describe('utimes', () => {
       })
     })
   })
+
+  describe('utimesMillisSync()', () => {
+    it('should close open file descriptors after encountering an error', () => {
+      const fakeFd = Math.random()
+
+      gracefulFsStub.openSync = (pathIgnored, flagsIgnored) => fakeFd
+
+      let closeCalled = false
+      gracefulFsStub.closeSync = (fd) => {
+        assert.strictEqual(fd, fakeFd)
+        closeCalled = true
+      }
+
+      const testError = new Error('A test error')
+      gracefulFsStub.futimesSync = (fd, atimeIgnored, mtimeIgnored) => {
+        throw testError
+      }
+
+      assert.throws(() => utimes.utimesMillisSync('ignored', 'ignored', 'ignored'), testError)
+      assert(closeCalled)
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/lib/util/utimes.js b/lib/util/utimes.js
index 434b3cea..55ad9132 100644
--- a/lib/util/utimes.js
+++ b/lib/util/utimes.js
@@ -27,8 +27,24 @@ async function utimesMillis (path, atime, mtime) {
 
 function utimesMillisSync (path, atime, mtime) {
   const fd = fs.openSync(path, 'r+')
-  fs.futimesSync(fd, atime, mtime)
-  return fs.closeSync(fd)
+
+  let error = null
+
+  try {
+    fs.futimesSync(fd, atime, mtime)
+  } catch (futimesErr) {
+    error = futimesErr
+  } finally {
+    try {
+      fs.closeSync(fd)
+    } catch (closeErr) {
+      error = closeErr
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (error) {
+    throw error
+  }
 }
 
 module.exports = {