diff --git a/src/tool_doswin.c b/src/tool_doswin.c
index 5cf58405b3..8e9e5f023d 100644
--- a/src/tool_doswin.c
+++ b/src/tool_doswin.c
@@ -809,9 +809,6 @@ ThreadCleanup:
 }
 
 /* The background thread that reads and buffers the true stdin. */
-static HANDLE stdin_thread = NULL;
-static curl_socket_t socket_r = CURL_SOCKET_BAD;
-
 curl_socket_t win32_stdin_read_thread(void)
 {
   int result;
@@ -819,6 +816,8 @@ curl_socket_t win32_stdin_read_thread(void)
   int rc = 0, socksize = 0;
   struct win_thread_data *tdata = NULL;
   SOCKADDR_IN selfaddr;
+  static HANDLE stdin_thread = NULL;
+  static curl_socket_t socket_r = CURL_SOCKET_BAD;
 
   if(socket_r != CURL_SOCKET_BAD) {
     assert(stdin_thread != NULL);
@@ -930,6 +929,7 @@ curl_socket_t win32_stdin_read_thread(void)
 
     if(stdin_thread) {
       TerminateThread(stdin_thread, 1);
+      CloseHandle(stdin_thread);
       stdin_thread = NULL;
     }