diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c b/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c
index 0ba507fe36f..bd778460934 100644
--- a/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ fdfree(struct filedesc *fdp, int fd)
 	seq_write_begin(&fde->fde_seq);
 #endif
 	fdefree_last(fde);
-	bzero(fde, fde_change_size);
+	fde->fde_file = NULL;
 	fdunused(fdp, fd);
 #ifdef CAPABILITIES
 	seq_write_end(&fde->fde_seq);
@@ -1651,7 +1651,6 @@ fdalloc(struct thread *td, int minfd, int *result)
 	    ("fd_first_free() returned non-free descriptor"));
 	KASSERT(fdp->fd_ofiles[fd].fde_file == NULL,
 	    ("file descriptor isn't free"));
-	KASSERT(fdp->fd_ofiles[fd].fde_flags == 0, ("file flags are set"));
 	fdused(fdp, fd);
 	*result = fd;
 	return (0);
@@ -1766,8 +1765,7 @@ _finstall(struct filedesc *fdp, struct file *fp, int fd, int flags,
 	seq_write_begin(&fde->fde_seq);
 #endif
 	fde->fde_file = fp;
-	if ((flags & O_CLOEXEC) != 0)
-		fde->fde_flags |= UF_EXCLOSE;
+	fde->fde_flags = (flags & O_CLOEXEC) != 0 ? UF_EXCLOSE : 0;
 	if (fcaps != NULL)
 		filecaps_move(fcaps, &fde->fde_caps);
 	else
@@ -2852,7 +2850,7 @@ dupfdopen(struct thread *td, struct filedesc *fdp, int dfd, int mode,
 		seq_write_begin(&newfde->fde_seq);
 #endif
 		memcpy(newfde, oldfde, fde_change_size);
-		bzero(oldfde, fde_change_size);
+		oldfde->fde_file = NULL;
 		fdunused(fdp, dfd);
 #ifdef CAPABILITIES
 		seq_write_end(&newfde->fde_seq);