diff --git a/lib_eio_linux/eio_linux.ml b/lib_eio_linux/eio_linux.ml
index 60fb0007c..c1a75ded2 100644
--- a/lib_eio_linux/eio_linux.ml
+++ b/lib_eio_linux/eio_linux.ml
@@ -1287,6 +1287,8 @@ let stdenv ~run_event_loop =
 
 let pipe sw =
   let r, w = Unix.pipe () in
+  Unix.set_nonblock r;
+  Unix.set_nonblock w;
   let r = source (FD.of_unix ~sw ~seekable:false ~close_unix:true r) in
   let w = sink (FD.of_unix ~sw ~seekable:false ~close_unix:true w) in
   r, w