diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen.c b/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen.c
index fd236c6d6..fe4d11f92 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen.c
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ newcall(int fd, char *proto, char *dir, Service *s)
 	bind(data, "/dev/cons", MREPL);
 	dup(fd, 0);
 	dup(fd, 1);
-	dup(fd, 2);
+	/* dup(fd, 2); keep stderr */
 	close(fd);
 
 	/*
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen1.c b/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen1.c
index cc22bb14a..c7504fe29 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen1.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/aux/listen1.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			bind(data, "/dev/cons", MREPL);
 			dup(fd, 0);
 			dup(fd, 1);
-			dup(fd, 2);
+			/* dup(fd, 2); keep stderr */
 			close(fd);
 			exec(argv[1], argv+1);
 			if(argv[1][0] != '/')