diff --git a/Grow.c b/Grow.c
index 7ae967bd..e18f1db0 100644
--- a/Grow.c
+++ b/Grow.c
@@ -530,8 +530,10 @@ int Grow_addbitmap(char *devname, int fd, struct context *c, struct shape *s)
 				pr_err("Cannot add bitmap while array is resyncing or reshaping etc.\n");
 			pr_err("Cannot set bitmap file for %s: %s\n",
 				devname, strerror(err));
+			close_fd(&bitmap_fd);
 			return 1;
 		}
+		close_fd(&bitmap_fd);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -3083,6 +3085,7 @@ static int reshape_array(char *container, int fd, char *devname,
 	int done;
 	struct mdinfo *sra = NULL;
 	char buf[SYSFS_MAX_BUF_SIZE];
+	bool located_backup = false;
 
 	/* when reshaping a RAID0, the component_size might be zero.
 	 * So try to fix that up.
@@ -3165,8 +3168,10 @@ static int reshape_array(char *container, int fd, char *devname,
 			goto release;
 		}
 
-		if (!backup_file)
+		if (!backup_file) {
 			backup_file = locate_backup(sra->sys_name);
+			located_backup = true;
+		}
 
 		goto started;
 	}
@@ -3612,15 +3617,13 @@ started:
 			mdstat_wait(30 - (delayed-1) * 25);
 	} while (delayed);
 	mdstat_close();
-	if (check_env("MDADM_GROW_VERIFY"))
-		fd = open(devname, O_RDONLY | O_DIRECT);
-	else
-		fd = -1;
 	mlockall(MCL_FUTURE);
 
 	if (signal_s(SIGTERM, catch_term) == SIG_ERR)
 		goto release;
 
+	if (check_env("MDADM_GROW_VERIFY"))
+		fd = open(devname, O_RDONLY | O_DIRECT);
 	if (st->ss->external) {
 		/* metadata handler takes it from here */
 		done = st->ss->manage_reshape(
@@ -3632,6 +3635,8 @@ started:
 			fd, sra, &reshape, st, blocks, fdlist, offsets,
 			d - odisks, fdlist + odisks, offsets + odisks);
 
+	if (fd >= 0)
+		close_fd(&fd);
 	free(fdlist);
 	free(offsets);
 
@@ -3701,6 +3706,8 @@ out:
 	exit(0);
 
 release:
+	if (located_backup)
+		free(backup_file);
 	free(fdlist);
 	free(offsets);
 	if (orig_level != UnSet && sra) {
@@ -3839,6 +3846,7 @@ int reshape_container(char *container, char *devname,
 			pr_err("Unable to initialize sysfs for %s\n",
 			       mdstat->devnm);
 			rv = 1;
+			close_fd(&fd);
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -4717,6 +4725,7 @@ int Grow_restart(struct supertype *st, struct mdinfo *info, int *fdlist,
 	unsigned long long *offsets;
 	unsigned long long  nstripe, ostripe;
 	int ndata, odata;
+	int fd, backup_fd = -1;
 
 	odata = info->array.raid_disks - info->delta_disks - 1;
 	if (info->array.level == 6)
@@ -4732,9 +4741,18 @@ int Grow_restart(struct supertype *st, struct mdinfo *info, int *fdlist,
 		 * been used
 		 */
 		old_disks = cnt;
+
+	if (backup_file) {
+		backup_fd = open(backup_file, O_RDONLY);
+		if (!is_fd_valid(backup_fd)) {
+			pr_err("Can't open backup file %s : %s\n",
+				backup_file, strerror(errno));
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+	}
+
 	for (i=old_disks-(backup_file?1:0); i<cnt; i++) {
 		struct mdinfo dinfo;
-		int fd;
 		int bsbsize;
 		char *devname, namebuf[20];
 		unsigned long long lo, hi;
@@ -4747,12 +4765,9 @@ int Grow_restart(struct supertype *st, struct mdinfo *info, int *fdlist,
 		 * else restore data and update all superblocks
 		 */
 		if (i == old_disks-1) {
-			fd = open(backup_file, O_RDONLY);
-			if (fd<0) {
-				pr_err("backup file %s inaccessible: %s\n",
-					backup_file, strerror(errno));
+			if (!is_fd_valid(backup_fd))
 				continue;
-			}
+			fd = backup_fd;
 			devname = backup_file;
 		} else {
 			fd = fdlist[i];
@@ -4907,6 +4922,8 @@ int Grow_restart(struct supertype *st, struct mdinfo *info, int *fdlist,
 				pr_err("Error restoring backup from %s\n",
 					devname);
 			free(offsets);
+			if (is_fd_valid(backup_fd))
+				close_fd(&backup_fd);
 			return 1;
 		}
 
@@ -4923,6 +4940,8 @@ int Grow_restart(struct supertype *st, struct mdinfo *info, int *fdlist,
 				pr_err("Error restoring second backup from %s\n",
 					devname);
 			free(offsets);
+			if (is_fd_valid(backup_fd))
+				close_fd(&backup_fd);
 			return 1;
 		}
 
@@ -4984,8 +5003,14 @@ int Grow_restart(struct supertype *st, struct mdinfo *info, int *fdlist,
 			st->ss->store_super(st, fdlist[j]);
 			st->ss->free_super(st);
 		}
+		if (is_fd_valid(backup_fd))
+			close_fd(&backup_fd);
 		return 0;
 	}
+
+	if (is_fd_valid(backup_fd))
+		close_fd(&backup_fd);
+
 	/* Didn't find any backup data, try to see if any
 	 * was needed.
 	 */
