diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_event.c b/sys/kern/kern_event.c
index fd01413d7a9d..0a9aaadba48e 100644
--- a/sys/kern/kern_event.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_event.c
@@ -861,6 +861,8 @@ kqueue_close(struct file *fp, struct thread *td)
 	struct knote **knp, *kn, *kn0;
 	int i;
 
+	GIANT_REQUIRED;
+
 	FILEDESC_LOCK(fdp);
 	for (i = 0; i < fdp->fd_knlistsize; i++) {
 		knp = &SLIST_FIRST(&fdp->fd_knlist[i]);