diff --git a/apps/app_externalivr.c b/apps/app_externalivr.c
index de905997ee..8004fecd14 100644
--- a/apps/app_externalivr.c
+++ b/apps/app_externalivr.c
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ static int app_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 	int child_stdout[2] = { 0,0 };
 	int child_stderr[2] = { 0,0 };
 	int res = -1;
+	int test_available_fd = -1;
 	int gen_active = 0;
 	int pid;
 	char *argv[32];
@@ -367,6 +368,8 @@ static int app_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 			goto exit;
 		}
 
+		test_available_fd = open("/dev/null", O_RDONLY);
+
 		setvbuf(child_events, NULL, _IONBF, 0);
 		setvbuf(child_commands, NULL, _IONBF, 0);
 		setvbuf(child_errors, NULL, _IONBF, 0);
@@ -500,7 +503,7 @@ static int app_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 			} else if (ready_fd == child_errors_fd) {
 				char input[1024];
 
-				if (exception || feof(child_errors)) {
+				if (exception || (dup2(child_commands_fd, test_available_fd) == -1) || feof(child_errors)) {
 					ast_chan_log(LOG_WARNING, chan, "Child process went away\n");
 					res = -1;
 					break;
@@ -533,6 +536,10 @@ static int app_exec(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 	if (child_errors)
 		fclose(child_errors);
 
+	if (test_available_fd > -1) {
+		close(test_available_fd);
+	}
+
 	if (child_stdin[0])
 		close(child_stdin[0]);