diff --git a/Lib/pty.py b/Lib/pty.py
index 889113c..9fd4709 100644
--- a/Lib/pty.py
+++ b/Lib/pty.py
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@
         # Explicitly open the tty to make it become a controlling tty.
         tmp_fd = os.open(os.ttyname(STDOUT_FILENO), os.O_RDWR)
         os.close(tmp_fd)
+    else:
+        os.close(slave_fd)
 
     # Parent and child process.
     return pid, master_fd
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pty.py b/Lib/test/test_pty.py
index 59e5162..02290be 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pty.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pty.py
@@ -115,6 +115,12 @@
     os._exit(4)
 else:
     debug("Waiting for child (%d) to finish."%pid)
+    ##line = os.read(master_fd, 80)
+    ##lines = line.replace('\r\n', '\n').split('\n')
+    ##if False and lines != ['In child, calling os.setsid()',
+    ##             'Good: OSError was raised.', '']:
+    ##    raise TestFailed("Unexpected output from child: %r" % line)
+
     (pid, status) = os.waitpid(pid, 0)
     res = status >> 8
     debug("Child (%d) exited with status %d (%d)."%(pid, res, status))
@@ -127,6 +133,15 @@
     elif res != 4:
         raise TestFailed, "pty.fork() failed for unknown reasons."
 
+    ##debug("Reading from master_fd now that the child has exited")
+    ##try:
+    ##    s1 = os.read(master_fd, 1024)
+    ##except os.error:
+    ##    pass
+    ##else:
+    ##    raise TestFailed("Read from master_fd did not raise exception")
+
+
 os.close(master_fd)
 
 # pty.fork() passed.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 6036a2d..ff8a082 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Patch #783050: the pty.fork() function now closes the slave fd
+  correctly.
+
 - Patch #1638243: the compiler package is now able to correctly compile
   a with statement; previously, executing code containing a with statement
   compiled by the compiler package crashed the interpreter.