diff --git a/src/or/connection.c b/src/or/connection.c
index 5299e8965c..03134d3355 100644
--- a/src/or/connection.c
+++ b/src/or/connection.c
@@ -128,6 +128,15 @@ void connection_free(connection_t *conn) {
   free(conn);
 }
 
+void connection_free_all(void) {
+  int i, n;
+  connection_t **carray;
+
+  get_connection_array(&carray,&n);
+  for(i=0;i<n;i++)
+    connection_free(carray[i]);
+}
+
 int connection_create_listener(char *bindaddress, uint16_t bindport, int type) {
   struct sockaddr_in bindaddr; /* where to bind */
   struct hostent *rent;
diff --git a/src/or/cpuworker.c b/src/or/cpuworker.c
index 40a5e6f39d..51c582c1c0 100644
--- a/src/or/cpuworker.c
+++ b/src/or/cpuworker.c
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ int cpuworker_main(void *data) {
 
   close(fdarray[0]); /* this is the side of the socketpair the parent uses */
   fd = fdarray[1]; /* this side is ours */
+  connection_free_all(); /* so the child doesn't hold the parent's fd's open */
 
   for(;;) {
 
diff --git a/src/or/dns.c b/src/or/dns.c
index 0cf437afef..88607172de 100644
--- a/src/or/dns.c
+++ b/src/or/dns.c
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ int dnsworker_main(void *data) {
 
   close(fdarray[0]); /* this is the side of the socketpair the parent uses */
   fd = fdarray[1]; /* this side is ours */
+  connection_free_all(); /* so the child doesn't hold the parent's fd's open */
 
   for(;;) {
 
@@ -506,7 +507,7 @@ static void spawn_enough_dnsworkers(void) {
     num_dnsworkers++;
   }
 
-  while(num_dnsworkers > num_dnsworkers_needed+MAX_IDLE_DNSWORKERS) { /* too many idle? */
+  while(num_dnsworkers > num_dnsworkers_busy+MAX_IDLE_DNSWORKERS) { /* too many idle? */
     /* cull excess workers */
     log_fn(LOG_WARN,"%d of %d dnsworkers are idle. Killing one.",
            num_dnsworkers-num_dnsworkers_needed, num_dnsworkers);
diff --git a/src/or/or.h b/src/or/or.h
index 76d2afeb5c..b7e323b3d0 100644
--- a/src/or/or.h
+++ b/src/or/or.h
@@ -615,6 +615,7 @@ int getconfig(int argc, char **argv, or_options_t *options);
 
 connection_t *connection_new(int type);
 void connection_free(connection_t *conn);
+void connection_free_all(void);
 
 int connection_create_listener(char *bindaddress, uint16_t bindport, int type);