diff --git a/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go b/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go
index 5d7e62871..c577b0b26 100644
--- a/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/rclone/backend.go
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func newBackend(cfg Config, lim limiter.Limiter) (*Backend, error) {
 		debug.Log("Wait returned %v", err)
 		be.waitResult = err
 		// close our side of the pipes to rclone
-		stdioConn.Close()
+		stdioConn.CloseAll()
 		close(waitCh)
 	}()
 
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ func (be *Backend) Close() error {
 		debug.Log("rclone exited")
 	case <-time.After(waitForExit):
 		debug.Log("timeout, closing file descriptors")
-		err := be.conn.Close()
+		err := be.conn.CloseAll()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/backend/rclone/stdio_conn.go b/internal/backend/rclone/stdio_conn.go
index a44e6aa5c..ac8dcc65a 100644
--- a/internal/backend/rclone/stdio_conn.go
+++ b/internal/backend/rclone/stdio_conn.go
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ import (
 
 // StdioConn implements a net.Conn via stdin/stdout.
 type StdioConn struct {
-	stdin  *os.File
-	stdout *os.File
-	cmd    *exec.Cmd
-	close  sync.Once
+	stdin    *os.File
+	stdout   *os.File
+	cmd      *exec.Cmd
+	closeIn  sync.Once
+	closeOut sync.Once
 }
 
 func (s *StdioConn) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
@@ -28,21 +29,25 @@ func (s *StdioConn) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
 	return n, err
 }
 
-// Close closes both streams.
+// Close closes the stream to the child process.
 func (s *StdioConn) Close() (err error) {
-	s.close.Do(func() {
-		debug.Log("close stdio connection")
-		var errs []error
+	s.closeOut.Do(func() {
+		debug.Log("close stdio send connection")
+		err = s.stdout.Close()
+	})
 
-		for _, f := range []func() error{s.stdin.Close, s.stdout.Close} {
-			err := f()
-			if err != nil {
-				errs = append(errs, err)
-			}
-		}
+	return err
+}
 
-		if len(errs) > 0 {
-			err = errs[0]
+// CloseAll closes both streams.
+func (s *StdioConn) CloseAll() (err error) {
+	err = s.Close()
+
+	s.closeIn.Do(func() {
+		debug.Log("close stdio receive connection")
+		err2 := s.stdin.Close()
+		if err == nil {
+			err = err2
 		}
 	})