diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b26ad1a9..87b88ec0 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ dist_man_MANS = \
 if BUILD_KILL
 bin_PROGRAMS = kill
 dist_man_MANS += kill.1
+kill_SOURCES = skill.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 endif
 
 if WITH_NCURSES
@@ -55,9 +56,9 @@ usrbin_exec_PROGRAMS += \
 dist_man_MANS += \
 	slabtop.1 \
 	watch.1
-slabtop_SOURCES = slabtop.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
+slabtop_SOURCES = slabtop.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 slabtop_LDADD = @NCURSES_LIBS@
-watch_SOURCES = watch.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
+watch_SOURCES = watch.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 watch_LDADD = @WATCH_NCURSES_LIBS@
 endif
 
@@ -65,18 +66,23 @@ if BUILD_SKILL
 usrbin_exec_PROGRAMS += \
 	skill \
 	snice
-skill_SOURCES = skill.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
-snice_SOURCES = skill.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
+skill_SOURCES = skill.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+snice_SOURCES = skill.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 dist_man_MANS += \
 	skill.1 \
 	snice.1
 endif
 
-kill_SOURCES = skill.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
-tload_SOURCES = tload.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
-pkill_SOURCES = pgrep.c
-free_SOURCES = free.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
-vmstat_SOURCES = vmstat.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c
+free_SOURCES = free.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+pgrep_SOURCES = pgrep.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+pkill_SOURCES = pgrep.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+pmap_SOURCES = pmap.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+pwdx_SOURCES = pwdx.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+sysctl_SOURCES = sysctl.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+tload_SOURCES = tload.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+uptime_SOURCES = uptime.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+vmstat_SOURCES = vmstat.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/strutils.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
+w_SOURCES = w.c $(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 
 sysconf_DATA = sysctl.conf
 
diff --git a/free.c b/free.c
index 7df8563a..849f4e4c 100644
--- a/free.c
+++ b/free.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "c.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -226,6 +227,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "bkmghlotc:s:V", longopts, NULL)) != -1)
 		switch (c) {
diff --git a/pgrep.c b/pgrep.c
index 6c46f310..fed70b98 100644
--- a/pgrep.c
+++ b/pgrep.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #define XALLOC_EXIT_CODE EXIT_FATAL
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
 #include "proc/readproc.h"
@@ -791,6 +792,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	parse_opts (argc, argv);
 
diff --git a/pmap.c b/pmap.c
index 3ba1bfe3..e0447f2e 100644
--- a/pmap.c
+++ b/pmap.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "proc/escape.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
@@ -426,6 +427,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	x_option = d_option = q_option = 0;
 
diff --git a/ps/Makefile.am b/ps/Makefile.am
index 968d27f4..e46f496f 100644
--- a/ps/Makefile.am
+++ b/ps/Makefile.am
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ pscommand_SOURCES =  \
 	parser.c \
 	select.c \
 	sortformat.c \
-	stacktrace.c
+	stacktrace.c \
+	$(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 
 EXTRA_DIST = \
 	HACKING \
diff --git a/ps/display.c b/ps/display.c
index 3038600d..a1a0f5bb 100644
--- a/ps/display.c
+++ b/ps/display.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "../proc/version.h"
 #include "../proc/wchan.h"
 
+#include "../include/fileutils.h"
 #include "common.h"
 
 #ifndef SIGCHLD
@@ -531,6 +532,7 @@ static void fancy_spew(void){
 
 /***** no comment */
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
+  atexit(close_stdout);
   myname = strrchr(*argv, '/');
   if (myname) ++myname; else myname = *argv;
 
diff --git a/pwdx.c b/pwdx.c
index fa1a47ed..e83187c9 100644
--- a/pwdx.c
+++ b/pwdx.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "c.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 
 static void __attribute__ ((__noreturn__)) usage(FILE * out)
 {
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	while ((ch = getopt_long(argc, argv, "Vh", longopts, NULL)) != -1)
 		switch (ch) {
diff --git a/skill.c b/skill.c
index f91d44d6..6c2d582d 100644
--- a/skill.c
+++ b/skill.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
@@ -375,6 +376,7 @@ static void __attribute__ ((__noreturn__))
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	if (argc < 2)
 		kill_usage(stderr);
diff --git a/slabtop.c b/slabtop.c
index 16863fe2..9e535d4f 100644
--- a/slabtop.c
+++ b/slabtop.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
 #include "proc/slab.h"
@@ -303,6 +304,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	sort_func = DEF_SORT_FUNC;
 
diff --git a/sysctl.c b/sysctl.c
index e3619700..4c816891 100644
--- a/sysctl.c
+++ b/sysctl.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
 #include "proc/procps.h"
@@ -675,6 +676,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	PrintName = true;
 	PrintNewline = true;
diff --git a/tload.c b/tload.c
index 151ab46a..765ed177 100644
--- a/tload.c
+++ b/tload.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "proc/version.h"
 #include "proc/sysinfo.h"
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
 #include "xalloc.h"
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	while ((opt =
 		getopt_long(argc, argv, "s:d:Vh", longopts, NULL)) != -1)
diff --git a/top/Makefile.am b/top/Makefile.am
index b7c9f9f5..33d8949a 100644
--- a/top/Makefile.am
+++ b/top/Makefile.am
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ top_SOURCES =  \
 	top.h \
 	top.c \
 	top_nls.h \
-	top_nls.c
+	top_nls.c \
+	$(top_srcdir)/lib/fileutils.c
 
 dist_man_MANS = \
 	top.1
diff --git a/top/top.c b/top/top.c
index da57ab08..97798ffb 100644
--- a/top/top.c
+++ b/top/top.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <values.h>
 
+#include "../include/fileutils.h"
 #include "../include/nls.h"
 
 #include "../proc/devname.h"
@@ -3902,6 +3903,7 @@ static void frame_make (void) {
          * duh... */
 int main (int dont_care_argc, char **argv) {
    (void)dont_care_argc;
+   atexit(close_stdout);
    before(*argv);
                                         //                 +-------------+
    wins_stage_1();                      //                 top (sic) slice
diff --git a/uptime.c b/uptime.c
index 995b1b4e..3ea14e76 100644
--- a/uptime.c
+++ b/uptime.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "proc/whattime.h"
 #include "proc/version.h"
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "hV", longopts, NULL)) != -1)
 		switch (c) {
diff --git a/vmstat.c b/vmstat.c
index 809915a7..669a263f 100644
--- a/vmstat.c
+++ b/vmstat.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
 #include "proc/sysinfo.h"
@@ -725,6 +726,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	while ((c =
 		getopt_long(argc, argv, "afmnsdDp:S:hV", longopts,
diff --git a/w.c b/w.c
index db7d75c7..03cf983f 100644
--- a/w.c
+++ b/w.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "c.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "proc/devname.h"
 #include "proc/escape.h"
@@ -356,6 +357,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 #ifndef W_SHOWFROM
 	from = 0;
diff --git a/watch.c b/watch.c
index 6cb4551a..44652683 100644
--- a/watch.c
+++ b/watch.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #include "c.h"
 #include "config.h"
+#include "fileutils.h"
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "proc/procps.h"
 #include "strutils.h"
@@ -588,6 +589,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	setlocale(LC_ALL, "");
 	bindtextdomain(PACKAGE, LOCALEDIR);
 	textdomain(PACKAGE);
+	atexit(close_stdout);
 
 	while ((optc =
 		getopt_long(argc, argv, "+bced::ghn:pvtx", longopts, (int *)0))