diff --git a/scripts/genksyms/genksyms.c b/scripts/genksyms/genksyms.c
index af6b836..f99115e 100644
--- a/scripts/genksyms/genksyms.c
+++ b/scripts/genksyms/genksyms.c
@@ -758,8 +758,10 @@
 		/* setlinebuf(debugfile); */
 	}
 
-	if (flag_reference)
+	if (flag_reference) {
 		read_reference(ref_file);
+		fclose(ref_file);
+	}
 
 	yyparse();